The Plagiarist
by Forge1323
Summary: "Death is only the next adventure." This could never be true enough for Jasper (OC) as he is transported into the MCU after his early death. Armed with the knowledge of the future, as well his own unique set of powers and mythos. Follow him as he explores the MCU and his actions in it. OP!, no slash or relationships(yet).
1. Death and Genesis

**Chapter 1: Death and Rebirth**

"HAHAHA," my voice rang out in laughter, "HAHAhahahaa..." My voice started to die out, my chest constricted, my hand shot up to my chest. I looked in fear to my friends as I fell to the floor struggling to breathe.

But no help came.

They continued to laugh at me, thinking I was fooling around and playing around. How could they think straight anyway? We were all popping molly, we were all too high off our heads to think straight. By the time they knew something was wrong, it was too late. I slipped in-between bouts of unconsciousness. I was only aware what happened around me for small periods of time.

A loud siren then the inside of an ambulance. Suddenly, I was being rushed across a hallway, my parents looking over me with worry. I tried to reach up and wipe my mom's tears away. What were they afraid of? My body felt warm and comfortable. I was heading towards the light at the end of hallway.

Blackness.

* * *

I opened my eyes to a vast blackness surrounding me. Last thing I remember was heading into the light. There was no pain anymore. I must have been dead. But where was I? Was I in limbo?

My chuckled to myself as I reflected on my life. How could I end up in Heaven? The only son to billionaires and I wasted all my good fortune. Iwas lauded when I was younger for being a genius, went through high school with straight 'A's through my own merit, yet here I am, dead because I overdosed. What happened wrong? Family pressure... I guess. I was pressured to follow the family line and become the next CEO, but I wanted none of that.

I can say with certainty that geniuses wasted their time, not because we were lazy but because we could. We knew what we could do. I didn't study a bit in high school yet I still got 'A's and that continued through my university life. I become lazy, complacent and associated with the wrong peoplew. Most of the time I wasted was either reading, play games or painting and at night I went to strip clubs and partied.

I was seen as a failure. I genius turned frat-boy but I didn't care. I enjoyed life... until it fizzled out.

As I floated in this abyss, thinking, a strange entity floated towards me. "Hello," a pleasant voice called out to me.

I twisted my body in shock, surprised by the existence of someone else... More like an entity. It was a mass of white, oddly reminiscent of a cloud and I blurted out stupidly, "God?"

It seemed to chuckle,"No my good boy. Many call me God but..." it fizzled out. "What am I exactly?" it pondered out loud.

I stared at in disbelief as a cloud talked out loud. Guessing it must be some figment of my imagination I implored, "Perhaps you are something I want you to be."

It chuckled in response and reverted back to its silence. Suddenly, it spoke, "A cloud is what you want? Don't be silly my boy. Let me change to something else." With that the cloud seemed to implode on itself. It expanded back out into a humanoid figure. Slowly details filled out and next to me was my dad. Something in my heart lurched. It came crashing down the horrible fate I left to my parents. Their only son dead. My eyes started to tear up and my 'dad' reached out and wiped them away.

"No need to cry. I am only the thing you most desire right now." It said in a fatherly tone. It rubbed my back and handed my handkerchief as I sobbed at what I had done. I had left my parents behind with my dead body. Their only son... dead.

Slowly I calmed down and inquired, "where are we?"

It was slow to respond, "I'm not sure, actually. But I can say, it is your world. This world will be important to you." With that he started to walk away.

I looked at him in fear, "Where are you going?"

"Come join me and walk."

Unsure of what to do I walked with him. We walked for what it seemed many hours until I burst the silence, "So what's going to happen now?"

My 'dad' smiled fondly at me, "You're next phase. I hoped you would stay with me for longer but alas we must move on."

"Move on where?"

"On," it replied simply.

"But..." It cut me off.

"My boy. Your life was filled with endless potential only to be wasted. It is pointless for you to go back to your own world. Life is an adventure that you create but why not make that real. I have observed your mind and boundless creativity. I must say bye as I fear I have said to much. But remember this world you see around is marvelous and important to you in the next life." It touched my head. "I want to say so much but I can't. I will say the world you are going to live in was very close to your old life."

It started to fade into the darkness. With the last vestiges of my energy I took a last look at my 'dad'. Life was going to be very different.

* * *

A/N: This is my first Fanfiction I have done in a long while. I did a bit when I was younger but that work was really bad so I wanted to start a new account. This story is focused around an OC in the MCU but I will be including every single person in the Marvel universe but the main plot line will follow the MCU story. This first chapter is quite short but I just wanted introduce a few things that will a play a major role later. I am currently still in school so updates will be sporadic but I my aim for each chapter to be around 5000 to 10000 words. I'm only writing because its fun and also cause I want to improve my writing skills so any constructive criticism is accepted.


	2. Too Many Questions

**Chapter 2: Too Many Questions**

I woke up and shot up into an upright position. I looked around the room startled. I expected that dark void to be a dream. I thought when I woke up, I would be lying down in a hospital bed with my parents waiting for me to wake up. Instead, I saw a bunk bed next to me, with me lying in my own bunk bed in the lower bunk.

In between the two bunk beds was a window, allowing a small beam of moonlight to pass through. Save the light provided by the moon, it was pitch-black in the room. Curious about my surroundings, I swung my legs out from the bed and they... hung. I hurriedly pushed my blankets off my legs expecting them to be amputated or shortened due to some surgery. But they were just small and short. I inspected my arms and hands and they were equally short. _Was I a child?_ I shook off that notion. Yesterday, I was a twenty-two year old enjoying himself at a party, now I'm a... child. _Ridiculous._

I slowly crept out of my bed trying not to disturb the other people. People. I rushed over to the other people to see if they were they like me. To my horror, they were... children. _What was I doing in the bedroom of children?_

I slowly backed away in confusion.

Desperate to get answers and to see if I was a child, I blindly grasped around the room, eventually finding the door. The door slowly opened and I walked outside into the hallway. It was pitch black in the hallway as I closed the door behind me. I walked slowly down the hallway until I saw a small light. I crept across the wooden floor of the hallway. It was hard to be completely silent as the floorboards were quite creaky.

Eventually I reached the door and peaked inside. To my relief it was a bathroom, not some sinister room. I slowly entered and studied the room. It was quite a cramped space with white being the predominant color. This being the first room I could see everything in, I noticed how small I was. The room felt huge. I looked for a mirror but that was above the sink but I was too small. But, luckily there was a stool for me to climb on top. Lucky.

I slowly climbed on top of it and I almost fell down in shock. A child's face stared back. I slowly brought up to touch my face and the mirror person did the same thing. I pulled a face and it did same thing. That was me.

It looked like I was 5 years old again. But that was impossible, unless if that person was right about being reborn. No... no that's impossible, once you die, you die... right?

With a pale face, I jumped down and landed on the bathroom floor. I hurried back to the room. Back to sleep. _I must be dreaming. When I wake up, I'll be back to my body, _I tried to reason.

I rushed back onto my bed, not caring if I made any noise and slipped back into my blankets. I pulled it over my face and chanted _This is a dream, this is dream._ Till I fell asleep.

* * *

I woke up the next day but I clenched my eyes shut. _I'm back to my real body_, I opened my eyes and saw a dreaded bunk bed above me. I looked to the side and I saw an identical bunk bed to the one I was laid on.

I resigned myself to the fate I was in. Maybe I was too quick too accept my fate, but the entity that spoke to me when I died left on a sense of finality that made me believe I reborn. It was early in the morning, the sun had barely risen. With the light of the sun, I looked around the room. It was a small room. Very small and slightly run down. The floor had a manky sort of carpet, the roof and the sides of the walls were cream, either due to age or it was painted that way. I had a feeling it was due to age.

I let my legs hand as I observed. It struck me, _why were there a bunch of kids around me?_

As I let my legs touch the ground, the door slowly opened letting in an elderly woman. She had that face. The face that will tell it was alright even if the world was on fire. I had a sudden impulse to embrace her as her motherly aura warmed on the inside. She was a stranger to me but I knew who she was.

Automatically I said, "Good morning, mother." She wasn't my real mom but I knew she was okay.

"Good morning Jasper, always an early one aren't you?" She adoringly said as she came across to hug me. I stepped away in apprehension but the look of hurt that crossed her face pained me. Not letting her speak I closed the distance I made and hugged her.

"There, there little one. Can you wake up the rest? They are always so lazy. Also, breakfast will be done in a few minutes." She looked at the other sleeping kids and then to me with a sorry face. "Good luck they seem especially deep in sleep," She said with a small smile, suggesting this was a daily battle.

With a random spark of sarcasm, "Thank you kind woman, I fear I will need as much as I can to rouse this sleeping beasts," I said as bravely I could.

She looked at me in surprise, "My, my was that a joke?"

Tentatively I said, "Yes." It suddenly hit me that I was a quiet child as I grew up, trying to blend in. I guess this was someway of letting me imprint my own personality now to the others. I quickly clarified, "what's life without some jokes?"

She laughed quietly, "It's rare to hear you say something," and left with a small grin.

Being by myself I could finally look around in detail. There was only a small bedside table in between the two bunk beds with a lamp. Other than that and the beds, there was nothing else. I observed the sleeping kids and their small areas. On the bottom bunk, of the other bed there was kid with of brightly, red colored popping out from under his blankets. Next to him on the wall were a bunch of posters, mainly childish things like games and stuff. It would've been disturbing if I saw a bikini-clad women.

On the top two bunks, was, what I presumed, was an African-American child in one. He had an almost minimalist and bare bones bedside and was sleeping in almost a straight line. His bed sheets look barely ruffled as which surprised me, _Mustn't move a lot when he sleeps_, I mused.

The one above was a Caucasian with curly, brown hair. His wall was littered with random drawing, possibly made with a crayon. I memory flashed past as remembered Mother being quite cross when she saw that wall but couldn't do anything.

Climbing down, I saw my own bed. There really wasn't anything and my bed was quite messy. I quickly made it and moved to my mission of waking the sleeping children. _I must stop calling them children, I sound like a pedo,_ I shook that thought away and moved to the kid I thought would be the easiest to wake up, more like I knew who would be the easiest. The African-American one. I climbed up slowly and woke him up by shaking him gently.

"Huh," he woke up almost immediately and looked at who woke him up. "Ah, morning Jasper," Jerome, a name popped into my head, said brightly. It almost like he didn't sleep. He rose and made his bed almost immediately. It was almost to scary how fast and efficient he was.

We both stood on the floor, looking at the remaining two. We glanced at each other in reluctance. "Soo... who do you want to wake up?" Jerome asked tentatively.

Memories flashed past, _I really need to look through all of_ them. "I got Will," the redhead on the bunk below Jerome. Jerome looked at the remaining one, Percy, in fear.

"If you say so Jas," he quickly got to work and started to shake Percy up. I moved to Will and I remembered a trick I used to pull to wake him up. I got close to his ear and whispered, "Jenny is going to take all your bacon if you don't hurry."

Will shot up and looked around in fear, "Not the bacon!" He grabbed his glasses and dashed to the door but before he could leave, Jerome called out, "Make your bed, Will. Sister Alice said we have to."

Will groaned and made his bed, grumbling, "Stupid sister, _do this, do that."_

Jerome finally woke up Percy. In a small, whiny voice, "One more minute," and promptly fell asleep. Jerome looked down towards me in defeat. I had an idea, "Jerome get down," I asked and climbed up. To Percy's ear I whispered (another memory I had), "Wake up or I'll tell Lacie you know what."

As fast as a bullet he sat up and looked at me in horror, "You wouldn't" in a small whisper.

"Wouldn't what? Wouldn't what?" Will looked up at me in excitement.

"I will, if you don't wake up and make your bed," I told Percy and in an instant he made everything and was on the floor.

"You gotta tell me how you wake them up so fast," Jerome complained.

I looked at him in amusement and said, "Let's eat, I'm starving." Instead of getting ready they all looked at me like was an alien. "Guys what's wrong?" I asked in confusion.

Will slowly responded in a threatening voice, "What did you do to Jasper you alien?! Bring Jasper back."

_This was going to take along time, to change their perception, _I thought in trepidation. "What let's go eat? I'm hungry."

Will and Percy looked at each other and then said, "Alien, I don't know what you did to Jasper but we like it." _That was easy._ They marched up to me and put their arms around my neck and frog-marched me to the door. Jerome caught up and looked at me in approval, "Finally, first time you said something first."

As they we walked across the hall I looked around the hall. It was very well made although a bit worn down. It had a dark oak floor and a bunch of doors with names on them on either side. Slowly, as we walked across the hall, the doors opened and an eclectic bunch of people of varying ages and ethnicity flooded the hall all going down the stairs.

I approximated around twenty plus kids in going down to the hall, some to the bathroom and some just talking to each other in the halls. The sun was fully up, _Must've taken some time to wake my roommates up._ As me and the other three were quite were short, we were jostled a bit as most the kids raced down to the dining hall.

There were three columns of tables I observed, as Will and Percy let go of me to go to a group. Jerome moved off to another group, leaving me behind. I looked around in confusion as I was left by myself, _Might as well use this time to look through my mind._ It was disconcerting for me to move around in a five-year old body but I finally got used to my own skin. _My own skin, huh. I guess this is my new life, _I mused by myself and went up to wash my hands and claim my breakfast.

I remembered I sat by myself in a corner and I moved to that space. _I must've been a lonely child,_ I sat down as I idly munched on my apple. I started to recall my life in this body. I remembered only this place, I never left this house maybe a bit when I was forced to play outside but I usually sat in my room reading a book or doing something. _A pretty short summary if I do say myself,_ I pondered as I recalled my adult life. Filled with drugs and high-class living, I felt awkward here but I didn't because I lived here so four years. It was really tumultuous in my head.

Suddenly, I was pulled out my thoughts by a woman in a nun-costume sit next to me, Alice. "Good morning Jasper," she started warmly. "I see you're sitting by yourself again," She reprimanded me.

I gazed down at my food starting to eat my bacon. The moment I tasted the bacon, it was like a flavor explosion. I looked at surprise and looked around. Everything was vivid. My mind was working at an extraordinary rate. _The drugs. I must not have any drugs in my system again, _I thought as everything looked so vivid around me.

"What's wrong?" Again I was snapped out of my reverie by a confused and slightly concerned voice, Alice.

I looked at her piercing blue eyes. Her skin was like porcelain. I must have been acting weird so I dismissed her concern, simply stating, "Nothing"

She rose and looked down at me with her hand at her hips, "Jasper I'm telling you, you have to talk to other people, brooding and sitting by yourself isn't helping at all."

I looked at her and promised, "I'll talk to more people, Sister Alice."

She shook her head and walked away talking to other kids. I stared at my spoon and I jerked back. My eyes were a piercing silver. _That's not right, I have black eyes,_ at that moment over the din of the eating children I heard the announcer state, "Stark Industries has recently..." and something else, muffled by the sound of conversation.

I looked in surprise. _Stark Industries... Marvel universe? _I thought, _No impossible._ A sharp male voice broke the noise, "Although I see some have already started eating, let us say prayer." The room fell silent and the television turned off. "We thank the lord for today. Thank you for the food we have today and the roof above our heads. Amen."

"Amen," Chorused out. Everyone sat down and started digging in. In hurried daze, I gobbled down my food and left the room. Letting my memory guide me, I entered the reading/study room. A place for the older children to get some homework done. I hurried to where I knew some old magazines laid. I opened some and familiar Marvel things popped out. _ I was in the Marvel universe._

Is that what the entity meant meant I was going to somewhere I knew. I loved comics, I read them all the time. I need to know what universe I was in. Before I could move, the pastor entered. "I see you're looking through some archaic news. Anything you would like?" The pastor was a strict yet fair man. I never encountered him much as I was usually reserved but he usually entered my the room to tell of Percy or Will or both of them. "I've never seen you eat so fast and you usually go back to your room. So what has interested you today? You seem especially excited today." He pointedly looked down at my shaking arms, misinterpreting it as excitement rather than fear.

"Nothing much father, I was just curious today," I responded cautiously.

"Join me today in my morning reading. I usually sit down here as everyone leaves to do their thing. A bit of peace and quiet," he winked at me like a joke. I found myself agreeing with him. It was always loud in this house.

I grabbed some newspapers and sat on a sofa next to his armchair in front of the dead fireplace. I had some fond memories of sitting in front of the warmth on some cold, wintry days. I sat down in silence as I read some articles trying to figure out what time period it was but the yellowing of the newspaper indicated it was quite old. But like a prayer being answered the pastor hands me the newest newspaper, saying, "You can read very well for a five-year old."

Ignoring I said, "Thanks" and continued to scan the paper ignoring the pastor's curious gaze. _I could explain it to him later. _I saw the date 2001, April 5th. It was too early to say what universe I was in without the internet. _The internet!_ I cursed in my head, _it's too early, unless this universe is advanced._

I looked at the pastor and he looked at me sensing my curiosity, "Jasper, my boy, I don't know what's gotten over you today but it is a welcoming change. Say whatever you want and we can talk," he looked at my kindly.

I had to be careful what I ask him. _He can't be too suspicious_, and I started asking him question...


	3. Preparation

**Chapter 3: Preparation **

I looked up at the ceiling wondering the best question to ask.

The pastor with a smile, "Go on, no need to be shy. I've seen many children come in and out of my orphanage. Many brash and rude. Many kind and sweet. Nothing can phase me."

_So I am an orphan. If I'm in the Marvel universe, either I have powers like Spider-man, can get powers like Dr. Strange or I can artificially make myself powerful like Iron Man. So which am I? _"Father, I was wondering was anything left with me when I was abandoned? I heard a few of the other kids had something," I asked in curiosity, _Maybe something for me to figure out my powers._

He smiled ruefully, "Other than the basket, blanket and a birth certificate, nothing else."

"Oh," I said a bit sad, "How was I when I was younger?" _Maybe he'll reveal something I did when I was young_.

"Just a tad underweight and very introverted," he said with a distant smile. "This is the most I've heard you spoke since then till now."

_Nothing. He seems quite old maybe something about the mutants... _"Anyway, to what I want to ask you Father, I've read a few things about mutants but they confuse me. What are they?"

"Mutants," he started, "They are different to us. Over the years we've had a few mutants in this house, but there never anything to fear about the. They were the same person but just a bit more." He smiled at me.

_So I'm not a mutant. Wait no, I'm too young to manifest my powers, yet. He doesn't seem anti-mutant which is good, I guess. I need a plan in this world though. This world is incredibly dangerous and I need start preparing now, especially if I don't have any natural talent. _"Thank you, Father," I said simply. _I need time to process this and get a plan._

I got off my seat and walked towards the door, the pastor called out, "If you need anything you know where to find me."

I turned around to the smiling pastor and nodded.

I walked upstairs to my room. It seemed most of the older kids left to go to school. I entered my room and slowly closed my door. _Whatever plans I make, no one can know. If they know how clever I am then it will raise alarm bells or put me into the spotlight. I need to be careful where I hide my stuff._

I clambered onto my bed and grabbed the book the orphanage gave us all and my pencils. Usually, while the other kids played games throughout the day, I was in my room just drawing or reading something. I need to use this time wisely and luckily I'm so young. If I can start off now I'll be safe.

I opened to fresh page in my book and started thinking. My first priority: make sure I can defend myself. Honestly, the hero thing seemed way too dangerous for me. But, I want to make sure I don't die because of something stupid. I've read too many comics where civilians were killed or something happened to them because they couldn't defend themselves.

My second priority: what Marvel universe was I in? Based on the facts, I know so far I wanted to cross off the MCU because there were no mutants but the problem is before I died it was announced Disney acquired the rights for mutants. I need to research this. Perhaps, if I read some history books or ask some of the older kids for key events, then I might be able to figure it out.

As I was writing this down, the entity's words kept on ringing in my head. He said the dark void I was in, was important to me somehow. Was that my power? I don't know yet. I looked out the window in frustration. I should be happy that I'm in a universe that I'm familiar with. All I had to do was avoid the largest battlefields. Right? But, something in my heart said otherwise.

My door opened suddenly with sister Alice entering, "There you are. Come get ready, we are playing some games. Join us..." she looked down at my book, "whatchu doing there." She crept closer.

I closed the book with a resounding thunk, "I'll come in a minute, gimme a sec."

She looked at me with a weird look, "You better come, otherwise..." she wiggled her fingers indicating she was going to tickle me. I grinned and waited for her to leave me room.

I had to find a good place to store my book safely. I looked around the barren room frantically searching for a hiding spot. It hit me. I climbed up to Percy's bed and hid the book under his pillow. _Why would she look there? _With that, I dropped down and exited the room.

I reached the ground floor and wondered where she wanted me to go. I recalled we often played in the huge hall. It was usually an empty space, save occasionally some desks and chairs which were used when potential adopters came. It struck me, _Adoption! I'm an orphan. Oh, great I forgot I could get adopted. Potentially this might not be a home forever and when I become 18 I'll have to leave. __I need to note that down in that book and plan accordingly. _

Thinking of my possible future, I entered the hall. There were about seven children, about my age. Sister Alice was laughing as the kids ran about her chasing each other. _Might as well join them. _I put my planning for the future aside.

"Hello Jasper, how nice of you to join us," Sister Alice said with a warm smile to me.

"So what are we doing?" I asked

"Hide and seek although Father told us when can't," she winked at us.

The rest of the kids jumped up and down in excitement with a variety of 'yay' 'HIDE AND SEEK!' etc.

Although Jerome stood with his arms crossed in protest, "We can't do that. That's against the rules."

A girl, I think her name was Lacie, said "Stop being so prickly, Jerome, we often can't play games like this often."

Percy jumped in immediately after, "Yeah Jerome, stop being so annoying."

With the whole force of the children staring at Jerome, he succumbed to the peer pressure and sighed in resignation, "Fine, but if we get caught then its your fault. But I'm not seeking and we're not into other people's bedrooms."

The rest of the children pouted at that restriction. In a burst of brilliance I said spontaneously, "I'll seek."

The kids looked at me like I was some alien. Will muttered under his breath, "I'm telling you some alien is impersonating." In my head I chuckled at that, _I guess he doesn't know about 'Secret Invasion.'_ I clarified myself, "This is the first time I'm playing with a large group and I wanted to look around first to see if I can hiding spot instead of frantically looking around when someone is seeking." _AKA. A way for me to find a hiding spot for my book_.

I started to count down from a 100 and the kids and the Sister dispersed to their hiding places. When they left the room completely, I turned around and started to look around the room wondering if I could leave anything here. _Nothing, too barren_.

When I finished counted, I walked outside and looked around the downstairs hallway. There 10 doors, one for the mess hall, the Pastor's bedroom, the Sisters' and Mother's bedroom, two bathrooms, the study hall, the backyard, a small door underneath the staircase, the hall I just came from and the Pastor's workplace.

I looked around and from the corner of my eye I saw a shadowy figure. I whipped my head around and I saw it was from the small door but as soon as I focused on that figure, it disappeared. I slowly edged towards the door and pressed my ear up to the door. I heard the suppressed giggling of a child.

I took a step back in shock not sure how to react but I shook it off, believing I just got lucky. _I can't find anyone yet, they'll slow me down._

Purposely, avoiding the small door I walked into the mess hall. I scanned the room and looked everywhere I could, actively avoiding any person. _I need to find a good place to hide my book._

I leave the mess hall and I saw the shadowy figure, when I looked in that direction it disappeared and the small door was in front of me. I was getting serious creeped out. Is that door important? I mused.

I walked down the hall to near the Pastor's door and I heard two people speaking. _They can't be there, also probably some parent inquiring adoption, mustn't annoy the pastor. _With the pastor's office crossed off I moved into the study hall.

This was an obvious place to book but the only problem is that it would be weird to see a five year old start studying books out of the blue and if I needed to grab the book at night, walking down the stairs would cause too much noise. I remembered this morning as the stairs creaked a lot when everyone was going down.

I left the room because it was an obvious place for the kids to hide and I needed to find a place to stash the book first. _Percy's pillow isn't enough._

I walked upstairs and look down the hall. A shadowy figure appeared again, I turned to where it was expecting to be facing where the small door was but it in the direction of a bathroom. I walked over and opened the door slowly. In the bathtub, I could see the faint outline of a child trying to stay still. _Is this my power?_ I grew excited. Unfortunately, the child could see it as he shower curtain sprung open with an audible, "Boo!"

It was from a girl, Sarah if I remember, a small Asian girl with pitch black hair and equally dark eyes. I didn't flinch because my friends in my old life... _Huh, my old life. I miss my friends. _Anyway, they used to always try and scare. When I stopped giving them a visible reaction, they stopped.

"Oh, Jasper. Why didn't you get scared?" She asked with a pout.

"Because I saw you," Awkward silence.

We looked at each other not knowing what to say. I was first to break the silence, "Yeah I got you now, let's find the others." _Dammit I haven't found a spot to hide my book, at least now I can change my personality and make the others like me more._

We walked out and I started to engage in small talk, "So Sarah... what's your favorite color?"

"Red... why?" she looked at me weirdly. _Of course she's weirded out, I never speak to her._

I order to open myself up more I responded with an enthusiastic response, "Really! That's my favorite color too. It's a really cool color." _I'm so glad I'm wearing a red shirt right now._

She responded just as enthusiastically, or even more, "Really! I just love how it goes with everything. It's my favorite color to color with."

_Man, kids are easy to win over. _I looked at her and responded, "Better be not stealing my red crayon."

"Perhaps, I'm going to. It's been my favorite color since I last saw my parents in a pool of red. I wanted to join them but my friend's mom held me back and I haven't seen my parents since then... So annoying, right? " she said with a small pout.

My eyes widened, _change the subject! _"Yeah..." I distractedly said, I remembered the person under the stairs, "Wait, I heard a noise near the stairs."

Changing the topic of the conversation I rushed her down the stairs with me be behind her. I reached out to the small door, trying to actively block out what Sarah said and saw a familiar tuft or red hair. Will.

"How did you find me?" He whined as I dragged him out. _I refuse to be by myself with a mentally deranged kid. I'm way too young to deal with this._

"Easy," I replied and then suggested, "I haven't been in the study hall, yet. Let's go."

We entered and I suggested, "Let's split up, Sarah why don't you go upstairs and Will and I will look around."

"Why am I going by myself?" Sarah complained.

"Well, this is room is huge and I haven't searched all the bathrooms upstairs so could you please?" I suggested trying to be with a buddy and as far as I can be from her.

She replied happily with, "okay, that will be easy to do," and promptly skipped upstairs.

I breathed a sigh of relief and dragged Will with me, "Let's go."

Refusing to split up and search the room, we searched the room together. We talked and found we both love science _I forgot how nerdy I was before I met my friends._

It seems as though I changed how Will thought of me as he happily proclaimed, "You and I, Jasper, are best friends from today on. I never knew how similar we were."

I grinned happily to him and we eventually found two more children. Jerome and Lacie. Will talked excitedly to them, explaining how great of friends we are. _Children are really easy to influence._

I spied some future ways to store my stuff, but until I join school or I start using this room more, no way I could've used this place to store my stuff.

Sarah joined us shortly after. She and Will started to fight who was better friends with me. We searched the rest of the bathrooms downstairs and found the remaining two. Percy and the other girl, Joan, an African-American child.

Just as I found the last one, Sister Alice came and said, "Lunch time little ones," she noticed all of us and said, "No wonder Jasper didn't play with us, he seems to be really good at this."

With that we entered the mess hall and had our food. I looked at the door and expected the older kids to come but it struck me that they were at school.

We ate, talked and had a great time. The children slowly changed their disposition to me and included me like I was a regular to their group. _Either the one above all is helping more, or these are some nice kids.  
_

As we finished up, Sister Alice collected up the dishes and started to wash up for us. The rest of the children ran off doing their stuff except Will, Sarah and me.

"Hey, Jasper. Let's go I wanna show you something cool," Will pulled me one way.

Sarah pulled me another way, "Noooo, come with me Jasper. Let me show you my drawings."

"I wanna ask Sister Alice something. Let me catch up with you guys in a bit," I ushered them off, promising I'd be with them.

I was left alone in the mess hall with Sister Alice. She hummed a nice tone as she washed up. I walked up to her with my infuriatingly slow stride. _Curse my short legs, I miss being 6 foot 2._

I tugged at her dress to grab her attention. She looked in surprise, "Jasper, what are you doing here? Go enjoy yourself, it must be nice joining everyone for once."

I agreed but I asked, "Can I help, though? We ate all our food but you're washing up."

She looked shock then smiled warmly, "No, Jasper go on to the others. I've done this a plenty of times."

"No, I insist, let me help," I looked at her with a pleading face.

She grinned and grabbed a stool for me to stand on. "I'm not gonna let you wash the dishes but dry them. You know, if you're still here when you're older, you'll be doing this sort of thing," she said with a smile.

"Yeah I know. I've seen the older kids do it. But, it seems lonely when you do it by yourself. If we do it together, we can do it faster and you can play with us."

She giggled, "You'll hate it when you're older." She gazed off with a distant look.

I looked in curiosity and I asked spontaneously without thinking, "Were you an orphan, too?"

Luckily, I was a child, if I was older and said that I surely would've been slapped or something. She looked at me with a sad grin, "Yeah I was. You know Jasper, its easier when you are younger to be adopted rather than older. More parents want to see you grow up, so listen to move Jasper, don't be like me. Get a foster family."

An awkward silence ensued. I broke the silence once more and said, "Knock, knock."

She smiled sadly at me and continued, "Whose there?"

"Alice,"

Alice, who?"

With my best 'Alice in Wonderland' voice, "Mr rabbit, Mr rabbit. It's me, Alice."

She laughed out loud and hugged me, suddenly. I awkwardly patted her back. "Thanks Jasper, I like this new you," she said simply.

We finished up the dishes and headed to the hall. Will seemed to be waiting for me and ambushed me. "Come on Jasper, let's go," he started to drag me along.

I looked back at Sister Alice and hesitated, "Why don't we go together with Sister Alice?"

Will looked thoughtfully and said, "Why not? Then I can share my things with more people if you like it."

Sister Alice smiled at what I was doing and said gratefully, "No go on ahead, I was going to help Lacie with something anyway."

"Your loss," Will said simply and dragged me off to his room. He grabbed his book and showed me a design and for the next few minutes explained some illogical thing, only a child could think of.

I saw the merit in the idea and talked to him about it. We surprisingly had a deep conversation about it. Then, like the children we were, got bored and moved out to do something else. As we left our room, Sarah spotted me and raced up, "Let me show you my drawing, Jasper." I looked at Will pleadingly but Percy was speaking to him about something.

Sarah dragged me into the study hall and to my relief there was Lacie and Sister Alice talking about stuff. Sarah dragged me up to them and showed them all her drawing. As an artist in my previous life, I looked in disbelief on how good it was (however good a five year old's drawing could be). I lowkey expected some twisted drawing, but it was a red pony.

We praised her and they all started talking about girly things. I managed to sneak myself out. One thing I noticed when I played hide and seek was at the end of the hall with a small window next to it, was a ladder leading up to what I thought was an attic. It was at ideal distance from my room, which would allow me to sneak across to it at night.

I looked around cautiously and climbed up the ladder expecting dusty old stuff stored but it surprisingly nice. There boxes neatly stacked with some old furniture, in good condition, placed around the room with labels on everything. There was a path to get to everything, suggesting it was used often. I spied a small cupboard with small old clothes inside that I could place my book. With that I raced in my room and placed it into there. _I'll be back._

I played with the rest of kids, fostering relationships with them until the older kids returned from school. They slowly trickled in, some complaining, some happy for some reason. _Second phase of the plan. I already have the knowledge of a person who is 22 years old. I'll be hailed as a genius in high school but why waste my time now. Let me get even more knowledge. _With that I observed the kids and picked on who I thought looked the smartest.


	4. Study

**Chapter 4:** **Study**

"Hello," I approached the kid.

He was an average looking white guy but I wouldn't have penned him as the smart guy. I guess something about his aura or the huge pile of books in his hands and the admittedly heavy looking bag on his back.

"Hello..." he looked down at me confused. _Of course he's confused, I've never talked to him._

"Jasper," I filled in.

"Ah yes, Jasper. Anything you want from me?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Yes, actually. I was just wondering what stuff you guys were doing, it looks cool," I asked, internally cringing because no person in high school would say that stuff is fun. _Unless if you've gone through it before._

"Uh... okay," he said suspiciously, "do you wanna look at what I'm doing, then reevaluate your opinion?"

"Yeah, let's go," I said with a cheery tone.

"Let me get ready first, little man," he looked at me like I was insane.

I waited around in the study hall. There was a slow stream of grumbling students entering the room, carrying various books, papers and stationary. I quietly observed all of them until he came in with an admittedly good looking woman entering with him.

I raced up to meet up with him, and when he say me he shot a sorry smile to the girl, "Sorry, Rebecca but this little tyke wants to join us."

"No problem, Luke," she shot a toothy smile, displaying her pearl white teeth at me , "He looks quite cute, especially with his silver eyes."

He looked at me and shook his head. _Probably expects me to get bored and move on. Luckily, I bought my book to write somethings if he gets boring._

We settled in some remote corner of the study hall and they got their stuff ready. I brought over another chair and sat in between them. Luke shot a dirty look at me, _he probably thinks I'm ruining his chances with this girl. Don't worry Lukey boy, I was one of the best wingman back in my old life._

"I can't believe your home has such a cool library in your house," Rebecca said looking around in wonder. _She's not an orphan? Then why is she here..._

"Yeah, yeah, about the problem Mr. Sinstra said you had," Luke inquired answering my question.

"About the recent stuff we are learning in algebra, I don't get it," Rebecca looked immediately uncomfortable.

Rebecca pointed at some of the work and Luke started to help her while I looked over in disinterest. _Dammit, this stuff was so easy. I guess most of high school was easy but... algebra? I thought he was going to show me something hard. Oh wait, he doesn't know I've already been through high school with straight 'A's._

He looked at me, expecting any other response than disinterest, with a raised an eyebrow and asked me, "How's this stuff?"

I replied simply, "Easy."

At this point, they both looked at me in surprise. "Okay then smarty pants, why don't you solve this one?" Luke challenged.

I looked at the question and solved the question almost immediately, but I feigned a concentrated expression. _I also need to help Luke with his love life. _With a furrowed brow, I started to answer the question and it hit me how I could help. I quickly finished up and I said, "Like this way Luke. It's probably right as you showed me how to do this properly."

As Rebecca stared at the paper in utter disbelief as a five year old solved a question she couldn't do. Luke looked at me like 'what-do-you-mean-I-showed-you.' I nudged him in the ribs and pointedly looked at Rebecca. He looked in further disbelief but I made a love heart sign and it looked like something clicked in him.

"Yea... Yeah I showed him. And yeah that's the right answer, good job little one," Luke said as pridefully as he could.

_Placebo effect, if she thinks Luke can do wonders, then her brain will do the rest. _I smiled and Rebecca, looked at Luke like he was the Messiah or something.

We continued the class and Rebecca could 'somehow' pick up the stuff really quickly. I obviously laid back a bit as Luke taught her and occasionally I stroked his pride by impressing onto Rebecca that Luke taught me everything.

While they were doing their stuff, I was wrote down a rough plan for the next few years.

_Okay, while they're learning stuff, I should make some plans, now. The big question, if my smarts get out I would be praised but I probably don't want that attention yet. It'll be too much pressure to do anything properly and if I go onto a television, bye-bye privacy. I need to first stress to Luke that I don't want him to tell anyone. Next thing, high school. With my knowledge, I can easily graduate but the problem is I will have zero privacy and too much attention on my exploits. I think I might use my time in high school as create some connections and expand on my knowledge. Given, high school has training equipment I could use, its probably the best for me to stay in school. Also the social repercussions if I graduate at like twelve or thirteen would mean it would be hard to make any good connections. I still need to impress onto the right people I'm smart at a young age. Kinda like Spider-man, as Parker could've easily graduated early but he was afraid what would happen in university._

_Next with my powers, I think I do have powers but those shadowy figures could've been caused by anything. So I think its still best to assume I have no powers. If they do manifest, I'll need to change my plans._

_Money will be a big problem. Until I'm 18, I'll be fine here but after it will become a huge problem, so I need to start a part-time job to do save some money for future exploits. With my brain, I could probably invent stuff but again privacy issues. If I do get adopted, which might be a problem to this plan, as some families might have problems with me doing a part-time job._

_And then the superhero problem. Do I want to become one? Honestly, right now no. Just no. It's a can of worms I don't want to open now or ever as it would be incredibly painful and damaging to many aspects of my life. I'm not sure if that is the best course of action for my future self._

I looked up as I finished most the planning I wanted to do. I looked out the window to the rapidly decreasing light and turned back to Rebecca and Luke who were very engaged with their work. I spoke up breaking the intense tutoring session, "Uhm... it's getting quite late. You should probably pack up."

Luke looked at his watch and outside the window. "Damn, I didn't notice the time pass. Uhh, Rebecca no offence, but you should probably go now. Last thing, I want my conscience is your abduction or something."

Rebecca agreed and packed up. We accompanied her to the door way and there was an awkward silence. Rebecca spoke first, "Thanks for your help, Luke. You should probably help this little cutie more than me. He's smarter than me already." She bent down and squeezed one of my cheeks.

I slapped it away in embarrassment. She looked at Luke and started to go home but I spoke up, "You know Luke, it's getting quite late. Why don't you go and accompany her home. As you said you don't want her abducted."

Rebecca turned around and said, "No, no its fine. I don't want to bother Luke anymore."

I barely noticed a rosy tint on her cheeks in the dim light, but Luke being the virgin he was said, "Okay, I guess you know the wa... ouch Jasper, what was that for?" He turned around and glared at me. I took this opportunity and motioned him to bend down and lend me his ear.

"Luke, I'm five and I know you're passing up an opportunity," I whispered furiously.

He whispered back, "She has a boyfriend... and why am I getting relationship advice for a five-year old?"

"I swear to god if you don't go with her,"

"Her boyfriend will beat me up,"

"Your just accompanying her back, its not like he'll be there waiting for her. If anything I've read in books, he's probably a jock with a pea-sized brain. Go to her home with her you dumbass,"

Luke hesitated, "How did you kn... never mind, when I get back we need to talk."

Luke straightened out and insisted, "You know what Rebecca it's getting really late and it'll be easy for someone to kidnap. I insist on accompanying you back."

"No it's oka..." Rebecca started.

But I interjected, "Take Luke along, I've heard some horror stories on the news and from other kids here of girls being abducted.'

She seemed reluctant but agreed with a smile.

_Girls are so weird, they act reluctant but actually want you to go with them. _Luke quickly raced up and grabbed his stuff and went with Rebecca, just before he closed the door he shot a look.

I smiled in response and finished closing the door. I started to walk back to the study hall but the Mother impeded my progress, "Were are you going Jasper? It's already ten PM, you have to go to sleep." _Crap a sleep curfew, I forgot about it. I guess talking with Luke will have to wait._

I walked upstairs and to my room and saw everyone in my room sleeping. I lied in my bed and waited. Eventually the Mother came and checked I was sleeping. Once she left, I raced up to the attic and stowed my book away.

What an eventful day. _A girl similar to my age has a messed up brain, I helped a guy significantly older then me get a girlfriend, I started to plan for the future and started to improve my relations with the other kids._

I laid on my bed and reflected the day and then my future. _Great, the future in what I believed is the Marvel universe. I wonder what my role will be? What will I do? What will I be like in the future? _

As I thought of the future, I dozed off.

* * *

My eyes lazily opened to see the sun that just started to rise. I laid awake on my bed, and thought of yesterday. _That was a productive day yesterday, hopefully today can be just as fun._

Someone opened the door as I heard a faint creak. I expected Mother to see but to my surprise it was Luke. _Actually, where was Mother yesterday?_

"Come here," Luke ordered me.

I sneaked out and slowly closed the door behind me. I faced Luke and whispered, "So how was last night?"

His face flushed, "Never mind that. How did you know all that?"

"We do have a library, right?" I replied sarcastically.

"But the library doesn't have that type of stuff," he argued back.

Thinking fast on my feet, "But kids, leave that type of stuff around always and I read it and try the stuff."

He looked suspiciously, "But Mother makes sure every time we leave stuff behind, we get it back immediately. Those books are expensive."

I kept a calm face _I need him to possibly help me,_ and without freaking out, I maintained a calm voice, "I tell Mother, that I'm returning it and sneak it back into their rooms at night after, I use it."

"Why don't we ask Mother now, she'll be up to get us up," he said with a conniving smirk.

I smiled back at him, but internally I freaked out, "Why don't we?"

We both stood awkwardly. I combed through my mind and I found instances where I returned books that I found of other kids and I hoped that would be enough. I stared at the stair and saw Mother's hair, eventually her whole body came into view. As she approached, my heartbeat started to kick up a notch. I still maintained a clam aura.

She approached us inquisitively and asked us, "What's wrong? Why are you both out here?"

"Mother, I was just wondering if you've ever seen Jasper, here, ever return any books back to the other children?" Luke asked.

She looked straight at me with a pondering look. I somehow managed to keep a straight face and smiled at her. With that she seemed satisfied, altough with a slight bit of annoyance, "Jasper, have not returned the books, like you said you were going to?"

"Yes, Mother, I always have," I let out a genuine grin of relief.

Luke looked defeated, "No its not anything. Jasper was just giving me back my book and I got worried because its usually you who returned my books if I forgot. I just wanted to make sure that if its okay."

Mother smiled, "Yeah, I've let Jasper return books before."

I remembered my thought in the morning, "Mother, where you yesterday?"

She chuckled, "Me? I was just shopping. With all these growing kids, its hard to keep up with the food."

With that she left us, reminding us to wake up the rest soon. Luke and I stood in the hall and shot a victorious smile at him. "Okay I believe you," he started, "but if you are as smart as it seems, why need to tell the Patron soon."

My eyes widened in shock, "No! I've read these genius kids falling into obscurity. I don't want to be like that. Please Luke."

"I won't tell him if you actually tell me how you learned all that stuff,"

"I'm telling you Luke that I taught myself," I defended myself. Luke seemed surprised at how determined my voice was and he seemed to finally accept the fact.

"Okay, I concede, you taught yourself all that. So... why did want to talk to me?" It was at that moment Mother came around and scolded us for not waking the rest up yet. We saw behind her a few groggy teenagers walking like zombies. I rushed inside and woke all my roommates quickly and I zipped out. I followed Luke as I explained, "You looked smart and I wanted to learn more things. The rest of the people don't have stuff as complex as you."

Luke seemed to puff out his chest in pride, "Yeah that's right. I'm aiming for one of Stark's scholarships. However much of a playboy is, he is very kind to orphans to us. But, I need to know a lot to compete and win the scholarship."

_That's right. Sister was telling me the older children have no way of being adopted. I guess this is what they have to do to get anywhere in life._ "So, I was correct. I was wondering if you could teach me some of that stuff. It would be a good way to revise for you and I'll learn more things," I bargained. _The more I know, the better it will be for me._

"Right... Tutor both Rebecca and me," I entered his room and saw he only had to wake up one person.

"Lucky, you only have to wake up one person," I complained.

"That's because the others got adopted and I didn't," he stated with a bitter tone.

My eyes widened and I changed it to a lighter tone, "So Rebec..."

Luke covered my mouth, "Not in front of Gus. Oi Gus, wake up!"

Gus stirred out of bed and dropped onto the ground with a solid thunk. He was an overweight Latino kid and doesn't seem to be morning person. "Morning, Luke. Whose the little guy?"

"It's Jasper, he wanted something from me. Get up and get ready, breakfast is ready,"

"Mmmm, bacon," Gus seemed to float out of the room, following the scent of the bacon.

"Can I talk now?" I asked.

"Mhm," he replied as he bent under his bed, searching for something.

"So about Rebecca, how was the walk back," I asked teasingly.

A loud thunk resounded around the room as it seemed his head the bed. A muffled reply followed, "It was fine. Nothing happened."

I sat on top of Gus's bed and challenged the statement, "By the sound of your head colliding with the bed, I don't think it was that way."

He emerged from under his bed with a thick book in his hands, "It was just fine. If you are as smart as you say you are, then read this book and understand it. Don't ask me for anything more until you understand that book from front and back. Okay?"

"Okay," I agreed happily as I carried the enormous book. It was as big as my body.

We got ready with our day, as I placed the book on my bed for future reading. I reached downstairs and got my food. Instead of sitting in my usual place, I sat next to Luke. "Why are you here?" he asked suspiciously.

"Just wanted to eat with someone for once," I replied innocently.

The Pastor did his prayer and we started to eat. Luke was reading over his notes and I asked him, "A test?"

"Nah, just looking over some things," he replied.

"So Rebecca..." I teased.

"Why do you keep on raising her up?" he cried in indignation.

"Aww, you likkke her," I rolled my tongue with a faux voice.

"She has a boyfriend... wait why do you know this stuff? You're only five," he asked in annoyance.

"Romance books," I simply stated.

"You have too much time,"

"So..."

"Nothing happened. She told me she wanted to come later in the week or something," Luke buried his face in his food with a slight red tinge.

"That means she's interested in you," I nudged him teasingly.

"Oh lord, help me I have a supposed genius five year old trying to set me up with a girl I lik..." he cut himself off, but the damage was done.

"You like her, eh?" I asked teasingly. His face turned even more red. "Man, she likes you if she wants to do another session."

"She said something about you being cute," he mumbled then threatened, "I swear to god, if you want me to help you then shut up about her."

I glared at him, but I need his help so as we ate we talked about school. I mainly described the things that I would hate there. I listened even though I knew about all this. It was a bit sad to see him leave but he'll be back. As all the kids left to school, I raced upstairs and grabbed the book he let me borrow and brought it to the study hall. I saw the Pastor there reading his newspaper.

"Oh, hello Jasper, what's that you're reading?" the Pastor gestured to the huge book I held.

"Luke lent me this book to read," I held it up for him to see.

"That book," he looked in surprise, "I gave that to him when he said he was going for the Stark scholarship. I don't think that's a suitable book for you to read."

I smiled at him and said, "What did you think I did all that time in my room. I was reading the school books. They were fun."

His eyes widened in surprise but let me read the book. I sat on the couch and started to look through the book. I could often feel his curious gaze look at me but I ignored him.

The book was quite plain. It was just a black book with no inscriptions or anything. I opened the book and glossed through the summary. My eyes widened as I realized this was just the school curriculum with a lot of extra stuff. I flicked to a page and saw the incredibly tiny font with all the extra detail it included. I started at the beginning at started reading the science stuff.

* * *

I only moved once and that was a book to grab a book so I can jot down all the extra information I had read. It was incredibly dense and it held my interest. The way the examples and the way it was worded was incredible especially all the detail it included. I sat there engrossed not noticing the time pass at all. I was only interrupted by Sister Alice shaking me from my stupor to get me to eat lunch. I did but while I was eating I read the book. The other kids tried to get me to play but Mother convinced them that I wasn't ignoring them, just doing something the Pastor wanted me to do.

As she placated them, I finished my lunch, washed it up myself much to the protest of Sister Alice and returned back to the study hall. The only way I could've described was incredibly enthralling. I haven't been this engaged since I was fourteen in my previous life. The Pastor came to sit next to me and noticed how fast my book was being used up. He brought extra books and pencils so that I continue, for that I was grateful for him.

I was so engrossed in the book I didn't notice the other kids return from school until Luke shook me. "Boring isn't it?" he asked jestingly.

But my eyes and tone told him everything, "No, its brilliant."

I looked behind him and I saw Rebecca and I smiled at her. She returned it. They went off to where they sat yesterday and eventually I tore myself long enough from the book to go sit with them but I promptly returned. I filled the notebooks I was given, with the incredible notes and shortcuts the book had. Rebecca often looked at me but I guess she was more interested in Luke. I was more interested in the book then trying to wingman Luke.

Rebecca left early saying something about practice or something and Luke had to tear me from my book, "Dude, its dinner. Let's go eat."

I still carried the book and read it. Luke looked really disappointed and slightly concerned at my unhealthy obsession. I made a huge amount of progress in just one day and it amazed him.

I finished and did the stuff I needed to and returned to the book. I didn't notice everyone leave the mess hall but I had mental simulation that I haven't had in a long time. I felt a strong connection with the book. It felt like it was an actual teacher with me but like the really good teachers who engage you in class.

Mother had to drag me off the book, and force me to sleep. It was a fruitless sleep as my dreams were haunted by all the new information I learnt.

* * *

The following days followed a similar pattern would the book dominating my life but Sister Alice finally put her foot down and forced me to stop studying. Everyone in the orphanage seemed to worry for me at the unhealthy amount of time I spent reading the book and how I carried it around everywhere. I supposed it was the mental simulation my brain had after many years of me doing brain altering drugs. With my cleansed brain and body, the book seemed to simulate far more.

Also, it can be attributed to how much extra university level information was added in junction with the school curriculum. It provided the right amount of difficulty for me. My genius brain ingested all that information and it was so... satisfying. _After so many years, I finally had the mental stimulation I needed._

I finally joined the other kids minus one. I looked around the group trying to figure where one was. _Where's Percy?_ I voiced this concern and Sister Alice quietly told me he was adopted the past two weeks I was obsessed with the book. My eyes widened but I steeled my nerves. _I accept the fact that eventually this group will grow smaller and might leave myself._

Through the intervention of Sister Alice I participated in the group activities but a part of my mind was preoccupied by the stuff I learnt.

The next few weeks progressed with a healthy balance between the study and the group activities. The Pastor tried to go public on how smart I was but I pleaded not to. _Everything is going to plan_.

I was learning more stuff then I did in my previous life but the only problem I faced was that the shadowy figures I saw before never came up again. I wasn't too concerned, I was going to use my knowledge to make my place in this world.


	5. School

**Chapter 5: School**

_Urgh, elementary school,_ I groaned internally. Its been a year since I've been in this body and started to read that book. Much has changed and much has remained the same. I was still the same midget who was eternally trying to to learn more.

The group of five-year olds (now six-years old) decreased by one more. Joan left half way through last year and it was incredibly sad like when Percy left but I also accepted it. There were many times I could've possibly been adopted but... stuff happened, I guess. They all liked me first and then it changed. I'm not too sure why but it changed and I definitely couldn't do anything.

I stood in front of my new elementary school in dread whilst the other kids were excited. Luke stood next to me, looking admittedly amused at my expression. "Good luck, Jas," he said to me.

Me and Luke became very close over the last year. I obviously finished the book, but with the amount of information that it possessed required half a year of deep reading. Since then, Luke been helping me learn stuff and in return when I became good enough, we used to sit together and solve the hard questions. I guessed my genius came back after detoxing from the drugs I was on in my previous life.

Luke and Rebecca progressed into an actual relationship after I pushed for it for the year. The breakup between between Rebecca and the jock was quite messy but Luke was safe. Rebecca made Luke (and me) tutor her friends, which eventually integrated into her group, who then supported the relationship. I would like to say I expedited the process (used my cute charms and manipulation for them to support him).

Rebecca placed a hand on my shoulder in support, "I now you're too smart for this, but you need to go."

"But whyyyyyy though," I whined. I groaned at the sight of the increasing group of children screaming in excitement or wailing because they have to leave their parents.

"Isn't it nice that our school has an elementary school, now we can walk to school everyday," Luke grinned.

"I hate you so much," I growled to Luke.

"Anyway, Jasper we need to go to school ourselves. I have some studying left to do," he tried to leave but I grabbed him.

"I can go and help you, you know. Think of last year and how much stuff we did," I begged.

"No, Jasper you know you have an assembly to go to," Rebecca tried to placate me, "Anyway, you know I can help Luke." She winked at me.

"Oh yeah, go 'study' right. Definitely not going to stick your tongues down in each other throats," I sarcastically replied.

They both turned flushed. "We need to go," Luke replied urgently and started to turn away. He shouted facing away from me, "You better stay here and do what you need to do. Don't you dare follow me."

I glared at their retreating figures. I faced the school (read: hell) and I groaned. Will came up and threw his arm across my shoulder, "Let's go Jasper. Aren't you so excited. We can meet other people now."

"Yeah, yeah Will... New people..." I tried to feign enthusiasm but it failed. Will definately didn't notice as he ran to a group of children and started to introduce himself. _I swear that kid has ADHD but I got to give to him though, he can talk to any person and be friends with him instantly._

A familiar bell rang off signaling the start of a school day. For all the kids here it was new but for me and brought back old memories of school. The boredom and the groupies that hung around me like vultures trying to cash into the wealth I was born into.

The orphans walked in a group with Sister Alice leading the way into the auditorium. All they said was hello and to encourage the parents to let us, the kids, to lead a more independent life or something to a similar effect. The speech was extremely long, convoluted and could've been summarized into two sentences but the principal seemed to like being verbose.

Eventually, the parents filled out leaving the children behind and we were gathered up into groups lead to a class by what seemed to be our homeroom teacher. The rest of the day was a haze as the teachers tried to settle the children down and explain what we were going to do in school.

By the end of the day of I bored out of my whole mind and walked like a zombie out the doors. I looked at the sky and thought, _Freedom._

Luckily, Luke was waiting for me outside. I walked to him in a daze and said, "Never again. I hate school."

"Told you so," He replied snarkily.

"I told you, I like the information not the school itself,"

"Well, welcome to next twelve years of your life unless you graduate early which it seems you might do,"

"Yeah, yeah so lets go home," I started to walk the direction of home but Luke held me back.

"Nah, I have something more important to do," he grinned like an idiot. A love-struck idiot.

_Urgh, what have I done? _I questioned myself. I thought I was done with high school love but nope I landed myself right in the middle of a high profile one.

We walked into the senior campus and Luke made a beeline to the field. I had to maintain a jog to keep with Luke's longer stride. _Curse my short legs._

Eventually, we made it the bleachers and we sat on the top with a great view of the field. I panted, exhausted from jogging the distance and tried to cool myself. Luke didn't notice me as he stared, enraptured by the cheerleaders.

"Oi Luke, you have a girlfriend. Stop staring at other girls," I snapped still exhausted.

"I'm not staring at girls," he started, "just at my girlfriend."

_When was Rebecca in the cheer-leading squad? How did I miss this detail? _ I mentally kicked myself for being obtuse. _Of course she is in the squad, her body's muscles all indicated that._

We sat and watched. More like Luke watched. I sneaked off and got a drink from the water fountain but this was difficult in itself. I had to find a box to stand on and drink from it. _I can't wait till a grow taller._

I finally returned to see that Luke wasn't sitting on the bleachers anymore. I looked around in confusion until I saw Luke across the field snogging his girlfriend. With a sigh of resignation I walked across. _I hate this so much_. I finally reached them and kicked Luke in the shins.

"Oi, what was that for?" he glared at me as he clutched his shins.

"For leaving me behind and for also walking like a love-struck fool to this field making me jog to keep up with you," I snapped back.

Rebecca giggled as Luke turned red in embarrassment. "Aww," she cooed to him, making his face even redder.

The cheerleading team started to come to us. They were discussing us when they say Luke and Rebecca. "Here are the new love-birds," A girl teased.

A girl saw me and raced over. "Aww, whose cute kid is that?" As she pinched my cheeks, "His eyes are really cool as well."

"Careful with my face," I glared at her. She just hugged me tighter.

"Let go of her Lucy, that's the genius kid that helped me," A girl, called from the group.

"I helped as well," Luke called out indignantly.

"Unlike you, this kid is a lot cuter," Lucy said, still squeezing me.

"'This kid's' name is Jasper," I wrestled out of her grip and dusted myself off.

"Isn't this your first day in elementary school?" Another girl Luke and I tutored, _I think her name is Stacy_,called out.

"Yeah it was and I think he hated it," Luke said with a smile, trying to restore his pride.

"Don't worry Jasper, school's going to get so much better, especially when you get a group," Lucy said still trying to reach out to me.

"Yeah, groupies..." I said under my breath. "Anyway, the stuff is boring and I feeling it still will be. Anyway, Luke why are we here?"

"Jasper, I wanted you to meet my friends," he gestured around him. "Well, obviously this isn't the full group but like yeah."

"And... this is important why?" I retorted.

"Well, I just really wanted to meet my girlfriend," his hand grasped tighter around her hand, "and you kinda need me to walk you back," he explained lamely.

"I hate you so much," I glared at Luke and at that moment I was swept into Lucy's... ample bosom.

_I'm not complaining... I guess. _

We sat around as the girls finished up practice. While, they were doing that Luke and I discussed some scientific breakthrough that occurred recently. Although, admittedly very distracted from the discussion. I had to force him to concentrate on me multiple times on the conversation at hand, partly because it was the only entertaining me right now and also because he would need it if he wanted to pursue the scholarship.

Suddenly, a person interjected between us, "Never imagined a six-year old to be talking about physics to a sixteen-year old."

I whipped around and saw an African-American with a black eye patch over right eye. _Nick Fury? What is he doing here?_ "School's boring so my friend has been teaching me," I replied keeping a neutral demeanor.

"Hmm, isn't hard to focus with those girls practicing over there?" He asked with an uncharacteristic smile.

While Luke pridefully said, "I'm just waiting for my girlfriend to find up," I thought, _Why might he be here? I can't think of any major comic event __occurring_.

"What brings you here?" I asked.

He smiled at me (_Creepy_), "Just had to talk to the principal about my daughter and I saw you two here. Just thought I would say hello."

Luke started to get creeped out but asked, "Whose your daughter?"

Fury dodged the question, "Look at the time. I have somewhere to be."

He left and Luke and I looked at each in confusion. I felt his gaze behind me, _Why did mark me? I haven't done anything yet that could have alerted him and I have no powers. What in the world?_

Still creeped out, we continued the conversation and promptly forgot about it. The cheerleaders finished up and Luke and I walked up to Rebecca. "Some random guy started talking to us. Came to school to talk to the principal but he avoided talking who his daughter was," Luke simply said.

"Weird, maybe something about the recent incident," Rebecca started and they continued that line of talking.

As we walked to the change rooms, I kept on thinking about Fury. _What could I have done? Is something going to happen here. I can't think of any comic that deals with this high school. Maybe he was interested in me. _I furiously thought about it but I sighed in frustration, _I don't know._

Luke and I waited outside the change rooms whilst the girls changed. They slowly left with a few stopping to talk to Luke. _Aww, look how much I helped him. With me with him, I using his time efficiently to study taking out all the necessary things he wouldn't need for the scholarship. _My past life helped so much.

Finally Rebecca emerged with Lucy. _Oh no, not Lucy. What is it with me and crazy obsessed people. First Sarah, now Lucy. _"Let's walk home," Rebecca stated cheerily. Luke's and Rebecca's hand intertwined and I eyed Lucy.

"Is she coming with us?" I asked suspiciously.

"Yep," a quick reply sounded from the blonde.

_Great._

* * *

We dropped the two off at their homes. Luke had to wrestle me from Lucy's grip. When she finally left I asked exasperated, "What is it with her?"

"She's like that. Very possessive of cute things," He replied laughing.

"Great. Anyway, you have any homework to do?" I asked.

"Nah, let's finish up reviewing that chapter in that physics book. I still can't believe you found that book," he said.

"Yeah, I had a lot of time last year when I didn't have to go to school," I looked pointedly at Luke.

"Don't look at me like that Jasper. It's mandatory," he explained with a mischievous smile.

We walked the rest of the way home with my grumbling most of the time.

* * *

Luke and I sat in the study hall in silence. We looked at the paper in front of us. Luke looked afraid, I was afraid.

"Luke, we need to talk," I broke the silence.

"No, I can't. Not yet," he replied in a shaky voice.

I stared at the paper in front of us. I was honestly confused. The letter's title was "Stark Scholarship." But it wasn't for Luke, it was for me.

"Huh," I was confused and was in shock.

The letter stated that the scholarship considered me and in small print Luke was being considered as well. "What does 'consider' mean?" we both asked each other.

_No, Stark is an egotistical maniac. This must be a prank. _I voiced this thought, "This is a prank."

Luke leaned back on his chair, "Yeah I agree. I mean why would they talk about both of us and you're six."

"Yeah, but who would be dumb enough to prank us both," I smiled evilly. Luke reciprocated the smile.

"Tomorrow we will discuss the prank but tonight we have a bit of things we need to," I grabbed a stack of papers and slammed it onto the table right in front of Luke. _That was dramatic, can't tell him that I couldn't carry it properly._

"Oh no. Not this again," Luke complained.

"I'm telling you Luke, this is necessary," I argued. "We need to look through these papers." The papers was a huge pile of notes Luke and I made and we needed to compile it. The only problem was that someone knocked into us, (read: Rebecca) and jumbled all the papers.

Luke sighed and we spread all the papers. We started the arduous process of sorting all the papers. This was important because this was all the combined effort me and Luke did last year. It covered all the information to prepare Luke and also important for my plan. _I need all this for the future. _It contained a lots of information that would help me create new patents so that I can have a future.

We sorted well into the night, often playing practical jokes on each other for fun. _I'll miss these day. Only destruction and chaos will occur in the future and these days will be last where I can laugh freely, _I darkly thought. Whenever I thought of the future I could only think of all the reality-bending events that will occur and bring massive destruction and pain. The click from 'Infinity War,' 'House of M," all the story lines I feared. If only I had real powers.

* * *

I woke up the next day with my head lying on the table. The light streamed in from the window above hitting my face. I groaned as I saw the time on the clock, '6:00.' It hit me then, _I have school._

I quickly devised a plan to skip school. I waited till Mother woke us up and I woke up 'sick.' I'm not too sure how that worked but I went with it.

I smirked at Luke as he left for school. The rest of the five-year olds pouted at me being left behind. They weren't sad at the fact I was skipping school and they couldn't, they were sad that I wasn't going with them.

As I said bye to all of them I sneaked into the attic. There laid the notebook that I started my plan. Over the past year, I sneaked into the attic at night and formulated my plan. I read every single newspaper that the Pastor gave me and I had sort of an idea in which world I was in. I had a feeling I was in the MCU but there was things like the Baxter Builder and mutants. I knew that before I died that they were going to be introduced into the MCU but I wasn't sure how they would effect certain events.

I also cleaned up the attic, creating a small cubbyhole for me to store my notebook and the papers that had potential inventions. Most of it was theoretical but it was fun to create them. The meeting with Fury spooked me, but I couldn't anything now that I was possibly on his radar. I took the black book Luke gave to me and started to look over some facts. It was a habit I picked up due to my constant study of the book, it was hard to put it down now. While looking through it, I looked at the boxes around me and I felt suddenly claustrophobic. _What am I going to do? Will I become a hero? _I debated this every waking second of my life on this Earth. I was obviously smart enough to become a superhero, _but how? I'm poor and unknown. I might have to go down Luke's path and pursue the scholarship._

School sneaked up me and I wasn't ready for it. I mean mentally yes, but not all the memories it brought back. One thing that killed me was the boredom but the other thing was the stress of me performing well in school. I guess that why I turned to the drugs before. I spiraling depression I was in was crippling but I didn't want to go down that path again. It was horrible. Having my clear brain as well as a prepubescent body made me realize the fun of life. The friends I made, and familial bonds that I created with the people in the orphan.

There was no pressure with them and it was refreshing. With Percy and Joan leaving it made me realize how everyone must eventually move onto the next stage of life.

I reflected on all the comics and manga that I read in my past life. _What made a person a hero? Their overwhelming moral compass, the guilt and the great responsibility that is held with power._

Yet, I had nothing like that but I felt horrible. I knew the possible paths all the comics will lead to and I can prevent them all. _I could stop them._

Something stirred in me. It wasn't conviction, it was a raw power. The world flashed around me, slowly becoming dark.

_Was I dying?_

* * *

A/N: Sorry its a bit sort and the time skip was abrupt. I needed Jasper to go onto school where his life would progress a lot faster. I know the immediate future and his final goal. I also have his powers ready (some gonna be introduced next chapter) but its too early. The story is a bit slow but I want him to have a proper foundation for him so his justification are okay. Also, this chapter was short because I don't know how American elementary schools worked. I had a few plans but I live in Australia and the high school system is extremely different in both countries. I know how American high school works but can someone please tell me how American elementary school work. It'll make my life a lot easier and a lot easier for all of you to read. Please help and either DM me or post a review. Please.


	6. Power?

**Chapter 6: Power?**

A familiar yet different voice spoke, "Hello again, its been a while."

I turn around to see the familiar entity yet all I saw was darkness. I looked around trying to figure out where that voice was coming from.

"No point. I'm here, there and everywhere," it called again but this time it came from everywhere.

"Why don't you talk to me like you did that other time?" I asked still unsure why I was so uneasy.

It chuckled. A shiver passed through me and I thought, _It sounds oddly cold to me. Why? It was so nice before._

"I'm not who you think I am. That other entity loves to mess up everything, I'm the only constant in this world," it called out, this time bored.

"Death?" I asked.

"No not death. That stupid woman always getting in my way," the entity spat out obviously annoyed. "No, all mortals will die leaving the immortals. They cannot be touched by Death. No, I'm the opposite of the other entity. Opposite in every single way. Attitudes, values and ideologies all the opposite. Where he takes the dominant view of people, I take the opposite. He is good and I am bad. At least that's what everyone thinks. No matter what every person has a view... an opinion on a topic... and there is always an opposite. Me and the other one, we must exist, we are the only constant. The two viewpoints that always exist and we can never die."

I was confused, _I thought Death was the final destination to everything. It is absolute._

"Yes boy, it is absolute. But Death has boundaries. For us we have no restrictions, no limitations. He takes one view and I take the opposite. Where there is Death, people want to live. Where there is life, people want to extinguish it," it explained, kind of relishing the power it has.

"So... you embody everything bad about this world?" I asked.

"That is were you are wrong, boy. Think about what I said and let us move on. I have more important things to look at. Not many people can access me. Not many people can resist the world's complexities. I can see the future of you and you take many opposites. Not opposed to kil..." it trailed off, "Let's not ruin it, shall we."

I floated in the void unsure of what to do. "Uhh," I raised my voice, "Do I have any powers?"

"Yes. Yes, you do. This whole realm is your power," it replied, "But shall I let you use it, is my judgement. Why do you deserve this power?"

I stuttered, "Uh..."

"You're going to lie. I like that," I felt a smile form on its face even though I can't see it.

I struggled internally, _I can't oppose the superheroes. They were the people I looked up to and now they actually exist with me. I want to work with them, I want to help them. _At that moment, I decided to become a superhero.

"Tut, tut. Bad choice, boy. You have gone against me," it lashed out and the darkness started to lighten up.

* * *

I woke up, resting in my bed. Sister Alice was on the chair next to me looking at me with concern. When I saw I woke up, she engulfed me in a hug saying, "We didn't think you were actually sick. We were going to keep you back and make you do all the house chores as punishment."

Having no heart to correct after what I say I patted her on the back reassuring her.

She eventually left saying that she was going to make some soup for me and I stared at the bunk above. _Was my future to become a villain? I can't do that. At least I have powers, I just need to get it from it. But how?_

The day passed as I laid in my bed contemplating life. Both Mother and Sister Alice came in and out of the room making sure I was okay, but I guessed my dazed expression solidified in them I was actually sick. I got so desperate to talk to that entity again that I tried to recreate the events that led up to it but to no avail.

* * *

Everyone returned from school with varying emotions. The six-year olds came to my room to cheer me up as they thought I was sick. When I looked at them I felt sick at the thought of me being a villain. A person who would intentionally inflict damage on others for self-gain. No matter how much I tried to forget his words got to me, _He was going to say kill._

I looked at my hands and couldn't believe these hands would take the life of another person. _It won't happen!_

No matter how much I reassured myself, the feeling wouldn't go away. Luke tried to speak to me but I avoided him. I ate dinner quickly and returned to my bed. I reflected on my previous life. The past year, I only used that life to get information I wouldn't normally have as a six-year old but I never reflected on it. Through my rose-tinted lenses it hit me how much pain I suffered through that time.

Killing my body with the drugs I thought would help me feel better, distancing myself from my parents thinking they were putting a lot of pressure on me, ignoring all the help from my family members even though they were to only ones who could've helped me. I felt revolted at myself, _Perhaps I'm meant to be a villain._

That thought darted past me before I could've suppressed it. The thought ate at my being. Night time fell and everyone fell asleep, yet I was wide-awake. My old life played through my ahead. I regretted a lot of my actions but I realized I can't do anything because that life was done. I had a new life with the people around and need to do everything to protect them.

I eventually fell asleep.

* * *

I woke up the next day. It was oddly quiet and no one was in the room, _Where is everyone?_

I walked outside and walked downstairs. No one was there. I entered the mess hall and I saw Sister Alice washing up, "Uhh, where is everyone?" I asked.

She turned around and said, "Wow, you must be really sick. You look so tired and you didn't wake up at your usual time. Anyway, everyone just left to school. Let me get some breakfast ready for you." She quickly whipped some food up for me and returned to washing the dishes.

I sat at the tables slowly eating my food. The sun shone into the room, yet I felt cold on the inside. _How could I hurt anyone? How could I hurt my friends?_

Those questions buzzed which made me lose my appetite. I played with my food until Sister Alice sat in front of me cheerily asking me,"Anything bothering you kiddo? Need any medicine."

"No," I muttered, and made no effort to look at her.

"Hm, being sick is horrible. Its been so quiet since all of you joined school. There hasn't been any orphans recently which should be good but I have no one else to talk to now once everyone is in school. No babies, no kids just Mother and Father when you all leave," she vented out.

I continued to play with my food as I processed her words. _How nice though, it means that number of orphans will decrea... oh no, the number of battles in the future will cause so many deaths of parents._

I engaged in small conversation with Sister Alice trying to seem as polite as I could be and I quickly moved back to my room. I sat in my room and decided that I need to try again.

I climbed into the attic and sat in the hole I created. I sat there thinking of my life, anything that could've triggered it. But nothing worked. I kicked something in anger and climbed down and lied on my bed contemplating life.

_What is it what that thing? I just need to talk to it once more, _I complained.

_Be careful what you wish for, _I cold voice whispered. I whipped my head to where I saw the voice but I saw I was back in the void.

"What the..." I started.

"No need to swear, you still are six," it called out.

"How did I come here? I just looked at to the side," I confusedly looked around, searching for an exit.

"I just granted what you asked me," It pointedly said. "I'm not pleased what you told me. Once every few centuries a person can access this dimension. They all make a deal with me to get what they want. They turned their backs to society and followed me, yet, here you are not asking for my power, not willing to turn away. You belong to the other one."

I sensed the displeasure emanating from its voice yet I pursued my curiosity, "What do mean deal?"

"They listen to what I say and try to break society," it said.

"But, if they succeed and break society, wouldn't the ideal you fought for be the dominant belief," I argued confused.

"No... I only sow the seeds of discourse to blur the line between dominance and subversion. It is the only time I can meet my counterpart," I felt a sickening sense of pleasure press against me everywhere.

"When you meet...?" I tried to pry.

"I try to kill," It replied simply.

"But you said you are eternal," I tried to comprehend the paradox but I didn't follow its logic.

Silence reigned. It started slowly, "There was a prophecy long ago, lost in the sands of time... The coming of one person. A conflicted person will allow us to kill each other."

"Yeah but the situation is paradoxical, you said you can't have one without the other," I pressed.

The cold exterior cracked and I felt an overwhelming sense of desperation, "I know that you know what will happen in the future. Let me tell you this universe is the MCU."

I recoiled at his desperate tone, "What do you want? I'm only six." _How does he know what the MCU is?_

"Frankly, I lied at our first meeting. I wanted... no... I need you. The future is blurred and I only saw clips. Those clips were very unsure," I wasn't sure what it wanted.

"Then will I actually kill? Will I become evil?" I asked desperately searching for an answer not caring that he knew what the MCU was.

"You can become the greatest person if you accept me," he dodged the question, pressuring me.

"No! Tell me what I want," I shouted out in frustration.

"I cannot say. But think about it. We can stand together, we can conquer my counterpart and fuse together. We can control the world," he pleaded with me, "This is the only way."

My eyes widened. _Power. If he takes over his counterpart, he has access to both sides. Both what will that do to him. _"I can't..." my voice wavered.

"No we must!" it insisted.

I thought of me being in the world of the superheros that I loved. The universe that was a fresh take on the expansive and convoluted Marvel universe. I could influence the superheros.

"Yes we can do that together," it seized my thought.

"No get out of my thoughts!" I shouted.

"Think about it though," he still insisted.

* * *

My eyes shot open and I noticed it was dark outside. I must've slept through dinner. I looked around the dark room and spied a covered bowl. I uncovered it and found a delicious bowl of soup. I scarfed it down not caring if it was cold or not. The talk with it took a lot from me.

I sat down on the edge of my bed and observed the room around me. The rest were unperturbed by me eating and continued to sleep. I looked outside the window to the moon. It was beautiful.

I spent a long time just staring at it, refusing to think about the conversation but the confirmation of the universe reassured me. _MCU, I should generally safe here. The year is currently 2002 and nothing much should happen until 2010 when Stark reveals himself. So I have until I'm fourteen before everything goes down. Great._

_I also do have powers but I can't work with that thing. It'll use me but I need those powers. Especially against Thanos. How did he find out about my memories? Wait, can I even tell other people what will happen in the future. _I filed that thought away for the future, _If they can. I need to make sure I make anti-telepathic armor. Something worries me though. The Baxter building and mutants exist. How will they effect this universe?_

I clutched my brain as it throbbed thinking of all the possible futures. _I must be in some alternate MCU._ I decided on. _I trust the entity, _my senses warned against it but in my heart I knew what he said was true.

I spent the night thinking. In fact, I was scared of closing my eyes just in case I go back to the void. Morning slowly came as the sunlight flooded the room, illuminating the whole room. I must've looked horrible as Mother told me that we were going to the hospital as soon as we could.

And so we did, once everyone left. We walked slowly to the hospital all the time, Mother reassured me a constantly asking if I needed anything. I refused and walked as silently as I could. My head throbbed from the all-nighter but I refused to sleep. I don't want to back in that void. I tried to deny it but I was attracted to the idea of power.

I thought over the night I could possibly manipulate the deal for my own sake but it would see it from a mile away and twist it for its own devilish purposes. We sat in the waiting room in silence as I debated the possible notion of manipulation in my favor but nothing came up. I felt a hand on mine and the warm, reassuring voice cut through my troubles, "I don't now what you are thinking about but there is no reason to be frustrated when you are sick. Think about it after you have gotten better."

I noticed my hands clenching the pants of my jeans tightly. I let go and smiled at Mother reassuringly, _If only she knew. _At the corner of my eye I saw a familiar face. I turnt and saw a person who was beloved by many people in my old life, Benedict Cumberbatch or Dr. Strange as he is known in this world.

"Mother I can I go to the bathroom, please," I asked. She okay and went back to reading her magazine.

I left my seat quickly and caught up to Dr. Strange. He looked concentrated on a certain patient's file, he muttered to himself some complex words as debated whether or not to do the surgery. Then he moved onto if the patient could pay for the surgery or not. _There we go. The greed of Dr. Strange._

He finally noticed a child staring at him. "What do you want kid?" He asked, with a hint of arrogance in his tone.

"I recognize you from the newspapers. You helped so many people, giving them a second chance in life," I flattered him.

He smiled arrogantly and then said, "Well, I have something to do. Bye" and then promptly left.

I smiled as I met my first first superhero. _I can't tell save him from the car crash. He will be too important._

With that I returned to my seat with a grin on my face. Mother looked at my face but didn't say anything.

We had the doctor's appointment and I told him all the symptoms of a flu, to make sure I was actually sick. Without questioning anything, he got me a prescription and we left. With a quick stop at the pharmacy and left to go back home. Meeting Dr. Strange seemed to reinforce in my head that I wanted to become a hero. _I will take that power from it and make it my own._

* * *

Mother left me in my room, insisting that I take the medicine and then rest. When she left, I tipped the medicine out. _No need to take medicine that I don't need _and then firmly in my head I said, _I have made my decision. _I closed my eyes and when I opened I was floating in the dark void I dreaded to go back last night.

It immediately said, "So what is your choice?"

I took a deep breath and said, "No, first tell me how did you know about the MCU?"

I felt a deep seething anger but he still replied, "When you were transitioning from your last life to this one, there was a small moment where I could glance into your memories, paired with me being able to see just a bit ahead into the future made me believe this universe is the MCU as you call it."

"You said glance during transition, does that mean you can't see it anymore?" I asked.

"No, there seems to be some sort of barrier," it responded.

_Good, if a powerful being like it can't access it then no one else can._ "Okay, I have come to make a deal," I started.

A sense of excitement filled the void, "Hmm."

"I want your power," it started to speak before I cut it off, "but on my terms."

It chuckled, "That's not how the deal works. The person gets a wish when I ask and in return I get their help."

"Okay then, my I have my wish?" I asked.

"You may," I could feel it grow extremely excited and I felt something stir inside. _The wish must be active._

"I would like to use your powers, independently from any outside forces that may try and control me or use me for their own causes," I stated.

Immediately it said without thinking how I phrased my wish, "Granted."

The void sucked itself into my body, right where my heart was. I felt the immense power and the possibilities I could take but I heard an anguished cry come from the entity, "You tricked me!"

"Should've listened carefully," Throughout the whole conversation I harbored ill-resentment. It must've misinterpreted as resentment against society not against the entity itself, _I got lucky.  
_

"You have made a grave enemy, the moment you grow weak I will take you over," its voice started to fade as I assumed its powers transferred to me.

* * *

I woke up to see Sister Alice placing a damp towel on my forehead. She looked at me with surprise, "You're awake. You were burning up with a fever, we couldn't wake you up for the past few days and we struggled to feed you anything."

I looked around I saw I was in the bedroom of Mother and Sister. "We had to move you because you were constantly twisting and turning in pain which made it hard for the rest to sleep. They were also really worried about you."

I started to sit up right but Sister Alice forced me to lie down, I protested, "I feel horrible right now. Can I at least move around a bit? I didn't move from the bed for a long time. Please."

"If you say so," Sister Alice said hesitantly.

I sat up and wave of dizziness hit me. My mouth felt dry and my stomach felt completely empty. "Water please," I requested and was given a glass of water to which I sipped slowly.

I got up unsteadily and move around a bit. _What are my powers, then? I can't feel anything different._

I stretched and eventually the dizziness faded but that was promptly replaced by deep set hunger. A loud growl emerged from my stomach and Sister Alice understood. She quickly moved to get me food leaving me alone.

I sat back down on the bed and felt a strange stir within. I grasped at it, pulling at it bringing it closer and closer to me until the pressure exploded. In my hand, sat a darkish-colored flames. _Yay powers, now time to extinguish it, _I thought with a smile on my face.

* * *

A/N: I have the powers decided (hint hint, look at the title of the story). Also, I still can't find any information on elementary schools so I'm just going to assume a few things and hope its correct. Please don't get annoyed if I don't get school right. Thanks and bye until the next chapter.


	7. Back to School and Sleepover?

**Chapter 7: Back to School and Sleepover?**

I was mesmerized by the flame I conjured in my hand. As I stared at it I realized I needed to put it away before Sister Alice came back. I tried to put it out by frantically waving in the air and trying to smother the flames to no avail. I dipped my hand in the water, yet nothing happened. Nothing at all. I started to think but before I got sidetracked I came back to the immediate issue of putting out the flames. _Is this how its going to sabotage me? _ I wondered. I started to run out of options and I desperately prayed for it to go away and it poofed out of existence.

Just in time too, as Sister Alice came into the room with a hearty breakfast. She placed it in front of me and said, "You look so much better now, Jasper."

I replied, "Yeah, I do. So much better." It was a relief to know that that entity said was a lie. But something nagged in me. There was the chance it could take over me and also a possible future in which I kill but I had the power to change it now. I clenched my fists like some cliched gesture but then it felt right.

I scarfed down my food as it was the first solid food I had in a long time. Sister Alice left the room at one point while I ate. When I finished I slumped back onto the bed and just stared at the ceiling. I knew I had to return to school now that I was better but I wondered if there was anything I could do instead of wasting my time there. _Honestly, I'll be wasting a lot of time in school but I have to go especially when I missed a week of school, _although however annoyed I felt, with me overcoming the entity I felt powerful.

* * *

I hate school.

Most of the day I wasted the day just doing some activities the teacher set. It involved a lot of this new annoying self-centered learning or whatever that meant. It just involved developing basic motor function in physical education and basic skills for school like addition, research and all the stuff. It was stuff I was already well-versed in most of things in my previous life so most of the time I spent trying to figure out how my powers worked.

The only problem a lot of the children kept on surrounding pestering why I missed so much of school and when worked started and I finished all of it quickly they all stared at me in surprise. With that it was quite hard to do anything. The teachers themselves stared at me in surprise at how fast I finished the work.

However, the only positive thing was at break. Elementary school and secondary school was connected so I walked across to the cafeteria and found Luke.

I kicked him at the back of the shins and muttered, "I hate school."

He whipped his head around and started to say, "Who the he... oh it's you."

I forced a girl sitting next to him to move and plopped in between them. I took out my sandwich and started to eat glumly, "You don't seem happy."

"Of course I'm not happy, you kicked me in the legs!" he exclaimed in indignation.

"Cheer up princess, at least you're not like one of those nerds," I shot a pointed look at some nerds being dragged of by some jokes.

"How the heck did you see that?" he looked confused as he looked around at the hustle and bustle of the cafeteria.

I muttered, "Because I have good eyes."

The girl next to me was glaring at me, "Is there your little brother?" she had an annoying voice. It was like a crow squawking.

I didn't reply but Luke helpfully said, "No just another another orphan I'm close with."

A sudden lull came over the conversation the group had, "Is that a problem? I've never seen my parents and I really don't want to see the type of parents who would leave their newly born son in an orphanage," I snapped.

They all looked at me with surprise, Luke asked, "Is anything wrong, Jasper?"

I replied sarcastically, "Noooo, it's not like I'm wasting a huge chunk of my time doing stuff I'm way too advanced for."

Luke looked bemusedly at me satisfied it was just my problem with the school. "Well, we have like two more hours until school ends."

I looked at him in horror, "Two more hours!? I wish I was still sick."

"Look Jasper, you can't do anything about it. What about this, I'm stuck on this physics question you wanna help? I had the fend for myself for the past week with you gone out of actions," Luke flicked through the stuff in his back and pulled out a tricky looking question.

I looked at it thoroughly and replied, "Hmm, tricky perhaps if you..."

I was interrupted by the girl I pushed over, "Hey what can a seven-year old do for that question."

"He's six actually," Rebecca replied in my stead, "and he taught me half the things I know."

Luke looked deeply offended, "Hey, I taught more than what this runt did!" He ruffled my hair in mock anger.

I swiped his hand off and retorted, "How could you teach anything when you were staring at her brea..."

Luke, with a red face, hurriedly interrupted me, "Anyway, back to the question."

I glanced at Rebecca as her face also flushed in embarrassment. The whole table lit up in laughter at my comeback. I smiled as I helped Luke and the girl next to me looked surprised at what I was doing. It seemed I had some great chemistry with the people in this group. We joked around and I even helped them with some of their homework. They accepted without questioning what a six-year old was doing with a bunch of older kids.

"So, like, while I was reading a book I just saw from the corner of my Luke just staring at Rebecca and I'm just like, 'are you serious? You're trying to tutor her but just you're just being weird?'" The whole table laughed as at the expense of Luke, as I retold a story. In that twenty minutes I felt like I was a part of the group until the dreaded bell rang. They all started to clean up as I dejectedly grabbed my things and started to move back, until one of the guys grabbed my shoulder, "I like you little dude. Come sit with us again." A clear Californian accent, I smiled at him enthusiastically and moved back to my back of the school.

Then I saw an angry teacher, "Where were you? We were all searching for you, break ended ten minutes ago."

My eyes widened, _Great break times are different between elementary and secondary school. I need to find out how different so that I can act accordingly. _I decided to tell her the truth, "I wanted to meet my friend Luke. He helped me a lot and I know a lot of his friends."

Her face kind of softened, _"She knows you're an orphan. She pities you. Pity," _a voice rung through my head. It was filled with malice. My face must've paled as the teacher immediately gave me a concerned look. I noticed and said, "Just a bit sad at leaving them, next time I'll make sure I'm not late." I gave her a reassuring smile and walked back.

_Is this how its going to mess with me? The attack me when people pity me or anything negative happens to me. This is not good, if it attacks when I'm vulnerable then I'm gone. _I had a grim expression as I entered the room. I started on my work and the children next to me were weirded out by mood. They started to whisper to each. _"That will lead to rumors you know," _it said. I replied, _Shut up!_

I heard an evil chuckle. I obviously finished my work early. We were researching something about the local community but I couldn't really care. I went over to my bag and grabbed my 'plan' book, as I affectionately called it. Last year, I actively made an effort, whenever something of importance occurred I jotted it down. I flipped to the other side of the book where I made a space for my powers. I noted down all my observations I found. I couldn't do it yesterday because I was too excited, but that was a problem. _I need to jot it down immediately so that I forget. _I noted down what my powers felt like and the conversation I had with the entity, I tried to make it a transcript that accurately reflected the conversation but I obviously forgot some information. I cursed to myself for being so absent-minded but I duly noted what happened today.

I glared at any child that tried to look at what I was writing and they left frightened. The teacher even approached at one point and asked what I was writing but the glare I gave her, staved her off. I spent what remained of the day just thinking.

Eventually the day ended and I was the first person out of the room. I raced out and to see Luke waiting out the front. I came up to him and looked at him suspiciously, "Why does your school end earlier than mine?"

Luke looked at me with a grin, "Our school starts earlier and ends earlier. They don't care if we're late to homeroom, which is always first period."

"I wish I was in secondary school," I complained. We walked towards the direction of the field and I teased, "Off to your girlfriend I see."

He jabbed me in the side in response, "Oi, shut up."

We sat on top of the bleachers and observed the cheerleaders but also saw the footballers in their recruitment process. I looked in interest at the sport. I was never interested in it, in my previous life, I'm still not interested but it was quite fascinating the amount of focus and determination they put into the sport. It was sort of ironic to me, as these people put the same amount of energy and dedicating their whole life to a sport, whereas heroes and even villains dedicate their whole life to effecting society in a direct way.

Dragging my focus from the football team, I forced Luke to bring his stuff out and started to work on some stuff, "Aren't you going to try for the scholarship this year Luke," I asked.

"Yeah, I'll try. If it do get it though, then I'll have to leave school..." His voice trailed off at the end.

He turned his head towards Rebecca almost immediately and I saw the hesitation. _"They'll all leave at the end." Shut up. _"Look at me Luke," I said seriously. He turned to look at me and I ranted, "We are orphans. Orphans. Don't think about today, think about tomorrow. We have no one with us, no family that can help us. Don't let love or anything hold you back. You can still talk to Rebecca, me and all the friends you made here but if you let up this chance, who knows what can happen in the future for you. You need to take this opportunity."

He hesitated, "But what if..."

I stared at him dead on, "There is no what ifs. Look Luke, we orphans we don't have anyone to rely on, no family. The only adult figure we've ever had for most of our lives was Mother and the Pastor, but they need to help others. If you pursue, no if we pursue it together we can secure a future for ourselves. We can use this future and prevent other orphans for fading into the nothingness and lose all hope and support. We can help all the kids in that orphanage, but what we need to do is pursue that scholarship. You might be far away from Rebecca and all of your other friends but they all love you and nothing can and will change that. As humans, we cherish every moment and to keep on making these moments we need to do bigger and better things for the world."

Luke looked off into the distance in silence and contemplated his future. _It is a hard choice for him to make but the scholarship is the right choice. Especially a scholarship with Stark. It will be useful for him and I also might work with him in the future._ "Look Luke, I'm only six and I can't make the choice for you but talk to everyone and take their opinions. Let's forget about this for now and lets get on with our lives," I shot him a smile and he returned albeit quite weakly.

We worked through some stuff that was important and that took his mind off the pressing topic of the scholarship. We made some great progress when someone sat down heavily next to me. I jumped a bit from my seat and looked at the person next to me. It was a sweaty football player. "Who are you?" I asked.

"You don't recognize me, little dude," a familiar voice called out from underneath his headgear.

"Mike, you have your headgear on," Luke said exasperated, but still had a smile on his face.

"Oh right," he removed his headgear and I immediately recognized him.

"What's up, man, did you get in?" I asked curiously.

"Yeah of course I did. Not many big people in this school," he replied goofily, "Hey Luke, Nick still is annoyed at you."

"Nick?" I asked.

"Rebecca's old boyfriend," Mike replied.

Luke looked kinda annoyed at that name. "So long story...?" I looked at Luke.

"Yeah... kinda like that," Luke responded.

However, Mike said in pure ignorance, "How is it a long story? Becky broke up with Nike, he tried to fight you but we liked you more than him, so we beat up Nick. Now he doesn't come around with us anymore." He gave me a goofy smile.

My head whipped around to Luke, "You never told me this. When was this?" I asked in genuine concern.

He mumbled, "It was sometime last year. You were like five what were you going to do?"

"Yeah the five year old that jumpstarted you relationship. The five year old that sometimes teaches you stuff," I replied slightly annoyed.

He smirked at me and ruffled my head roughly, "You know if I didn't know you so well, I would've snapped at you. Also, _you _jump start _my _relationship? Never, I had a plan and most of the time I teach you."

I jested back with him, "Really, says the person who often just stared at Rebecca with a dumbstruck face half the time."

"No, I was using my manly charm..." Luke was interrupted by a person clearing her throat.

"Manly charm, huh?" Rebecca sat down next to Luke and looked at him sharply.

"Uh, hi Rebecca. How's your day been? You looked fantastic practicing," Luke stammered that sentence out.

"Oh its been great. You think so our routine has been good, I've been wondering if we should add something more. Anyway, your manly charm? Remember when you asked me out," Rebecca teased.

Luke flushed in response and tried to stutter something but failed. The cheer leading team was cracking up in laughter and I felt I needed to bring some balance so I asked innocently, "Rebecca, I'm not too sure if I'm too young to understand this, but why were you moaning out Luke's name in your room when I stayed over once?" I had to stay over at her house because Luke and I were tutoring her, Luke left me by accident at her home and she refused for me to walk by myself, instead calling the orphanage stay I was going to stay over.

It was Rebecca's turn to flush as the raucous laughter of the cheer-leading team increased in volume. She stuttered, "Nn..no I never did that."

I held out Luke's phone threateningly, "You wanna hear it."

A girl in the cheer-leading group yelled out, "YEAH!" However Luke asked, "You used my phone?"

"Don't get your little friend excited, its password protected," I told him.

At the expense of the new couple we all laughed as the big group of people sat around discussing somethings. They came up to Luke often, asking help for their homework and he happily helped them. I tried to help but I was having too great of a time exposing stuff.

* * *

The sun started to set and slowly the group disbanded heading off to their respective homes. When Mike left, he hit me on the back in good humor but I was nearly sent flying off my seat.

Finally, all that remained of the group was Rebecca, Luke, Lucy and me. We started to head back and then Lucy said out of the blue, "let's have a sleepover!"

"Where?" Rebecca asked.

"At your house, duh. It'll be fun," Lucy replied cheerily still playing with my cheeks.

"Nah, I don't think we can. Our patrons need to know where we are and they'll be freaking, especially if Jasper isn't back. Also, it'll be rude to interrupt Rebecca's parents without telling them beforehand," Luke replied.

"Nah my parents are fine with that. Anyway, they really want to meet you," Rebecca said enthusiastically.

"But, the boy and girl thing," Luke tried to say.

"Luke, there is a six year old here, what can he do?" Lucy asked.

"But clothes?" Luke interjected.

I gestured at Luke to come close to me, "Luke, this is an opportunity take it."

"But..." He tried to say.

I cut him off, "If you say you might leave at the end of this year, make this year fun and filled with memories. She won't forget them."

"If you say so," Luke said. "But, we need to call the orphanage first," He told them.

"No worries we can do it at my house," Rebecca said. She grabbed Luke's hand and walked with a cheery bounce, swinging both of their arms.

While they moved, I was left behind with Lucy. I looked at her with fear. "Aww, looks like you're with me little man. You're so cute with those silver eyes," She said as she essentially carried me with as much enthusiasm as the couple in front of us.

_This was going to be a long night..._

* * *

A/N: Sorry its been a bit of time and the chapter is so short. I had an exam while it was still a holidays so I couldn't do much during this time. I just wanted to get out this update because I wanted to address how I got a bunch of people favoring and following me. I just want to say thanks. Also, school is starting soon for me so my updates will become more sporadic especially cause I chose to start writing literally right before my exams so my updates will be a bit more sparse over the next few weeks. As I said in chapter one I really do want to write like 5000 to 8000 words but we'll see. Thanks and see you next time.


	8. Sleepover Time!

**Chapter 8: Sleepover Time!**

Luke and I sat awkwardly whilst Lucy and Rebecca called the orphanage. Opposite to us were Rebecca's parent and we both looked at each other in awkward silence.

Rebecca's mom broke the silence as she asked, "Jasper, its been a while. How have you been?"

I responded, "Yeah, not too bad. School recently started but its been quite boring. Luke's been helping me do some things so I don't get as bored."

"Doing some things? Like what?" She asked with a raised eyebrow.

I looked at Luke and formulated a quick response, "Luke's been teaching me some basic maths and science. It's honestly so interesting, isn't Rebecca's dad a scientist." I downplayed what Luke taught me and put some focus onto Luke.

"Yeah I am," a deep booming voice emanated from his voice. Rebecca's father was a beast-like man with a full beard and a hard glare. He was the main reason why we were so quiet. "Are you interested in any field?"

"Y..yes sir I am. I'm aiming for the Stark Scholarship," Luke stuttered out in.

"The Stark Scholarship, hmm..." he rubbed his beard in mock thought. His wife on the other hand seemed deeply amused by the conversation. I raised an eyebrow at her and she made a shushing motion. I shrugged and looked at Luke. He was pale, white and obviously terrified. The man spoke again with a raised eyebrow, "You know that's only for orphans right?"

Luke stammered, "Y...Yeah, I'm an orphan."

Rebecca's dad raised an eyebrow and was about to speak but was cut off with Rebecca and Lucy entering the room. "Yeah you can stay over," Rebecca said but her eyes crossed in displeasure at the standoff between her dad and Luke, "What's happening here?"

Before anyone could speak, I spoke up, "Your dad's interrogating Luke."

Rebecca whipped around to her dad and in indignation said, "What are you doing dad?!"

Her dad looked at her in almost fear, "Just talking with Luke here. Aren't we Luke?"

Luke looked at her dad and nodded back in a forced manner. Rebecca noticed this, "Dad you don't have to this all of my boyfriends."

Her dad steeled his face, "Remember you last boyfriend, what was his name..? It doesn't matter his name, he was a proper tool and completely idiot."

"Well, Luke isn't him, is he? He's been so helpful and really nice," she reprimanded her dad. An almost whimsical atmosphere was created at the sight of Rebecca telling her dad off.

"Anyway, I'm your dad, can't I be worried especially after him? Luke seems like a clever guy," He stood up and extended a hand in truce towards Luke.

Luke looked around in confusion. It seemed he was confused at what happened and wasn't sure what he should do. I nudged him and he stood up and shook hands with his dad saying, "I'll take good care of your daughter, sir."

"Not sir, just Todd," He replied, "You seem nice but if you do anything do Becky..." he trailed off implying a threat.

"Dad!" Rebecca exclaimed.

He looked back at his daughter ashamedly and quickly changed the topic, "What's for dinner?"

Rebecca's mum stood up quickly, "I need to take it out of the oven," promptly rushing out towards the kitchen.

An awkward silence fell as she left. "I should probably help her," I spoke up and got up.

_Might as well let them sort out their differences, _I thought as I escaped the awkward situation.

Then a bubbly voice exclaimed, "Me too!" It was Lucy.

I tried to rush to the kitchen before she could catch me but I was too slow. _Curse my small legs! _She caught me and started to cuddle me. "Is this necessary?" I asked exasperated.

"But you're so cute and so p..." she cut herself off. I looked at waiting for her to finish her sentence but she just smiled at me and continued to squeeze my cheeks. I brushed it off as we walked into the kitchen.

Rebecca's mum had a satisfied expression on her face as looked at the food, "Thank lord that I didn't burn it."

I called out, "Miss, do you want us to help for anything?"

"Not miss, just Steph is fine. Can you help set up the dining table, darling." She called out walking about the kitchen making last minute preparations.

Lucy finally let go of me and we set up the dining table. Noticing that neither the food nor the rest of party have come yet, I asked Lucy, "Can you check up on Rebecca please"

"But..." She tried to resist but I pulled my best puppy dog face and she left. _Finally, _I thought tired of the constant cuddling. I moved off to the kitchen and I was gobsmacked.

The technology was somehow advanced, even more advanced than in my old life. I looked around analytically observing each piece of technology. "Holy crap..." slipped out of my mouth.

Steph laughed at my reaction, "Seems like you know what all these gadgets are. Frankly, speaking I don't what half of these do."

Instead of responding I explored the place, looking and trying to interact with as many of the cooking appliances, trying to discern what they do. I wolf-whistled as I saw the refrigerator shoot out a bread slice into a toaster when I touched a button. "This is so cool," I said in awe.

"Yeah, it is. My husband has a lot of connections where he works and pulled a lot of strings for all this to happen. He said that to say we were 'bete-testers," if anyone asked us," she said while gathering the dishes.

I noticed her struggle and quickly moved to help her. She tried to protest, "You don't have to, you already set up the dining table."

I smiled at her and responded, "I'm used to helping out in the orphanage," and grabbed some of the dishes that balanced precariously on her arm.

She conceded and as a team we laid out the dishes and at that moment the rest of the party came into the room.

* * *

_Well, this is awkward,_ I observed as I silently ate my food.

Next to me sat Lucy, of course, and Steph. Opposite me sat, albeit quiet nervously, Luke and next to him were Rebecca and her dad. It was quite comic in my opinion, on one side Rebecca was trying to act all lovey-dovey to Luke and her dad stared down Luke, daring him to reciprocate the feelings.

Throughout this ordeal my head was firmly faced towards my face as I held in my laughter. My shaking seemed to garner the attention of Luke as he swiftly kicked my shins underneath the table. My head shot up and I glared at him.

Steph seemed to want to break this tension as she asked Luke, "I heard you've been tutoring Rebecca for the past year or so, Luke."

Luke looked at her appreciatively and replied, "Just helped her here and there, miss, she's really clever so she got most of it quickly."

"Just Steph my dear," she said, "anyway, thank you for helping Rebecca out, she really needed it."

Rebecca interjected in indignation, "Mum! I was fine, I just needed to get a few of the finer points."

Luke laughed and retorted, "Really, remember that time you need helped with basic algebra questions."

Rebecca face flushed in an angry red, "No! I was just..." and she trailed off.

I chuckled and under my breath I said, imitating Rebecca's voice, "I was just admiring Luke, isn't he so cute!"

Steph looked at me and with a smile asked, "What did you say Jasper?"

I looked up at her face and paled. Her smile was sharp and dared me to say something. At this point I released the scariest person on this table, Rebecca's mom. "Nothing," I told her simply.

"That's what I thought my dear," she replied. It was Luke's turn to start laughing at my expense, as he saw the ordeal I was in. I tried to kick him but my legs were too short, _Curse my short legs._ So I resorted to the only thing I could think and addressed Rebecca's dad, "Uh..."

"Steven," he filled in.

"Uh, Steven as this is a 'sleepover,' where are we all going to sleep," I asked with an innocent smile, "I guess we can sleep in Rebecca's room, but can Luke?"

Steven's focus returned to Luke and he shrunk under his glare and he sternly asked Luke, "Like a proper gentleman, you'll sleep on the sofa, **right?**" He placed on Luke's shoulder menacingly.

Rebecca glad to be not in the center attention reprimanded her dad, "If Luke sleeps in the same room as me, its not like anything will happen?"

I interjected with a sing-song voice, "Luke and Rebecca sitting in a tree, k-i-s-s-i-n-g."

Luke kicked me underneath the table to silence me and said, "It's fine, I'll sleep on the couch. Honestly, the couch seems more comfortable than the beds we have at our place."

"Yeah," I said agreeing with Luke, "I'll probably sleep on the sofa as well."

Lucy piped up though and squealed , "No, you can't do that! You're going to sleep with the girls!"

I looked at her with a shocked expression and insisted, "No its fine, I'll sleep on the sofa."

Lucy pouted but Steph interjected, "We have a spare bedroom, you two can sleep there."

Luke and I agreed and then continued to eat the food. A companionable atmosphere was soon struck up as Luke and Steven started to talk about the sciences. It was a bit awkward initially but as the conversation progressed it got more and more complex. As both of them passionately spoke about the sciences, the girls started to gossip about something, I didn't listen much to that side.

As I listened to Luke mentioning something about black holes and the gravitational field, I felt the gaze of someone. It felt as though a hole was being burnt through me and in response I whipped my head around to the direction.

It was coming from the direction of the girls but no one was looking at me. Something felt off... extremely off. I excused myself from the table and walked towards the direction I felt it coming from. As I reached the door I felt it again. I tried to catch it off guard but turning my head as quickly as I could but nothing. Some of the people from the table looked at me with curiosity. I shrugged their gazes off me. I looked at each one and met each gaze trying to discern whose it was. It was only when I got to Lucy where it clicked.

As we looked at each other, I couldn't help but shudder. Something felt off with her. The more I looked, the more I 'saw.' My face paled, her face looked gaunt and she had this creepy, wide grin. Her eyes had slits for pupils and she looked at me like I was some prey. I blinked and it went back. The others looked surprised at the sudden change in facial expression and Luke asked, "You okay?"

I waved off their concerns and acted as calmly as I could, leaving the room. As I left their inquiring gazes, I shook uncontrollably and dashed to the bathroom. I locked the door behind me and slid down to the floor. I grasped my hands, trying to control the tremors. _What the f... _I started to think but some tutting came from my mind.

_Language please, _I heard the familiar sarcastic tone echo in my head.

_Why are you talking to me? _I snapped at it.

_Why so angry? _Its long, drawn out sentences infuriated me for some reason.

_What the hell was that? _I asked restraining my emotions.

It chuckled and its presence faded. _Wait! _I called out to it but it left.

_I need to figure what this thing is and how it talks to me,_ I thought to myself ruefully.

Its presence did help me calm down though and as I sat down on the bathroom floor, I contemplated what happened. I reasoned to myself fervently, convincing myself that it was just the plan of the conniving entity.

I left the bathroom and returned back to the table and I quickly finished up my food. I engaged in conversation with Luke and Steve, surprising the latter with my knowledge.

As the people finished their food, I helped Steph with the plates even though she kept on insisting I didn't have to but I still did. Luke even helped at one point but I waved him off and told him to go back to Rebecca. I got a slight glare from Luke but he conceded.

In a sense, I helped Steph to try and distract myself. I kept on lying to myself I was fine but I was still shaken. I tried to avoid Lucy, in a sense.

We finally finished and joined everyone in the living room...

* * *

A/N: Hello everyone. Its been and for that I'm sorry. My exams happened, then I had a holiday with my family and then I got writer's block... so I took a break and got back to this chapter and I blanked. So I took a bit of a break and planned this story a bit and kinda rushed this chapter out. I just needed to get over this hill because in a sense this chapter is a small set up for the things that are going to happen in the future. Sorry if this chapter is bad (its quite bad imo) but I will up the quality. No promises though for when the next chapter is coming out. Cya till next time.


	9. What Goes Bump in the Night

**Chapter 9: What Goes Bump in the Night**

We returned to the living room and Steve turned on the television, flicking onto to the news channel. While something about a scientist's experiment played in the background, Rebecca pulled out the friendship destroyer. Monopoly.

We sat around the coffee table and started it. I chose to be the wheelbarrow.

My eyes locked onto the pink pieces and I started to scheme my path to victory. With some lucky rolls I started my tyranny.

* * *

I looked at Luke with suspicion, I collected my pink set and all of them have three houses but I was left with $200. Luke collected the browns and the reds. He placed hotels on the browns and the reds had two houses on them with $1300. I miscalculated Luke's clever, backhanded dealing, after making fun of him for so long, I forgot how smart he was.

I was on the train station right after the pinks (luckily I owned this one) and calculated the odds of me missing the reds completely. Luke got extremely lucky as Lucy declared bankruptcy on his browns and he got all her properties and money.

I stared at Luke and then glanced at my dice in my hands. I did the maths and I figured I had a very low chance landing in free parking or on the community chest. I rolled... and on the reds, "Dang it, so close!" I exclaimed.

"Got to pay up little man," Luke replied smugly.

"I'm declaring bankruptcy," I said in frustration.

"And I win!" Luke fist-pumped into the air.

"I'll pack up," Rebecca said with an exasperated look.

"Let me help," Luke added as a second thought.

I leaned into the sofa and watched the television and watched in intrigue. It displayed some images of the Stark logo with the heading, "New weapon deal?" I glanced towards Steve and saw his displeased face. I asked, "What's wrong?"

He sighed and looked at the television in disappointment, "Stark's a genius, yet he wastes all his talent on weapons. All for the money..." he trailed off and changed the channel.

I sensed the man's foul mood and moved my focus to help the rest pack up the game. As we finished packing up Monopoly, Steve and Steph left the room to go back to sleep.

Although, just as Steph left the room, Steve shot Luke a warning glare. Luke paled in fright as Steve left the room and finally relaxed and said, "That scared the crap out of me."

"We could see," I deadpanned as I finished putting away all the stuff, "Rebecca where do you want me to put this?"

"Just in that shelf," she pointed out the place and then turned around to Luke and teasingly said, "You wanna do 'funny business'?"

Luke's face reddened in embarrassment and stuttered out, "H..h...huh?"

We all laughed at Luke's predicament and Luke shouted in indignation, "Why is it always me?"

"Because you're too easy," I replied as I sat down next to him, "So, what now?"

We just played some games and talked for the rest of the night, until bed time.

* * *

As we were in an intense twister game I looked up at the clock and I saw the time, "It's 3:00 in the morning!" I announced in surprise, "We better go to the sleep."

Lucy whined out from the tangled mess of her, Rebecca and Luke, "Don't be such a kill-joy, let's enjoy this a bit more."

"You guys have school tomorrow, and if Rebecca's parents find out how late we were up, they most likely won't be happy."

They all whined and packed up everything. Luke grumbled under his breath, "How is a kid bossing us around."

I smirked at that remark and we finally all went upstairs. Rebecca led us to our room and left us inside. We looked around the room, it was amazing to us, after being stuck in the bare orphanage rooms, even though it was quite plain by bedroom standards. The thing that impressed us the most was the comfortable bed as the center-piece of the room. It reminded me of the bed in my previous life and slight amount of sadness welled up inside me.

"I'm sleeping on the right and you're on the left," Luke declared, "and don't come on my side!"

"Whatever, man. You trying to take the power in this relationship isn't going to work," I retorted but I still complied with him.

Even though Luke complained the most about going to sleep he fell asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow. I simply just laid down on the bed enjoying the comfort. I stared at the ceiling and just smiled. _I'm really enjoying this life, _I thought, _I'm not going to mess this up._

Sleep won me over eventually as my vision darkened and faded to blackness.

* * *

It felt like I was asleep for a few seconds but I was shaken awake. I peered through my eyelids and was faced with the face of a person I could barely identify due to the darkness of the room_, is it still night?_

I grumbled out in pure tiredness, "What time is it?"

It was Lucy's voice but it was off, it was dull, "Good morning."

I replied with a slight edge in my voice, "Of course its the morning, we slept at 3:00 AM."

"Master?" she replied, confused.

_Wait, 'master'? I must be still dreaming_. I turned my body around and willed myself back to sleep but someone kept shaking me. The constant shaking, shook me out of my stupor and I turned back and snapped, "What do you want?"

My eyes were fully open this time and they focused onto Lucy's face and I almost jumped out of my skin. It was the same face I saw at the dinner table. I looked at her in terror, noticing her pallid skin, her gaunt face and the toothy grin she sported. She moved her painfully thin arms closer to my face and I tried to recoil as far back as I could but I hit Luke's body. I closed my eyes in fear of the worst but as her hand touched me... it was almost gentle.

She stroked my face gently, as though I was a cat and whispered, "It's been so long master."

I paled and opened my eyes and saw her adoringly look at me face and whispered hoarsely, "Who are you?"

"Lucy," She replied as though it was the most obvious answer.

I stuttered out, "Y... Y... You're not Lucy."

"Oh master, you're such a joker, come we have much to do," She laughed and moved towards the door.

I slowly moved out of bed and stood on the floor. I shook in terror, _Who is 'Lucy'?_

_My dear boy, _the voice chuckled, _This is a friend of mine._

_Friend? _I questioned in abject terror.

_Let me take over, only for a minute, _it coaxed me.

_NO! _I said firmly.

_I let you control the body just give me the voice, _it bargained.

_What guarantee do I have that you can't take my body over after getting control of my voice? _

_Fine, I swear to not take over your body when I get your voice, _A tremor ran through my body signifying the bond.

_You can do that... _I thought what it said, _Wait specify for how long you control my voice._

It chuckled, _Such a clever boy. No wonder you were chosen. I swear to take over your voice for only for a minute. _The same tremor ran through my body and gave it the go sign.

A strange feeling rushed over my mouth and throat. One moment I was aware of the feeling and the next, an almost cold and devoid feeling.

"How nice to have a voice again," it said. I widened my eyes as it said it. It threw me off-guard that I sound the same yet it wasn't me saying it.

"Master?" Lucy questioned.

"You half-wit, did you seriously think this five-year old boy was me?" It scolded with a harsh tone.

"B... but master," Lucy stumbled over her words in terror.

"I don't have much time to just berate you. We have much to talk," it said connivingly.

_You better not do anything stupid, _I warned it. I wasn't sure if it could hear me or not, if he did he didn't acknowledge anything.

"Do not interrupt me until I'm finished. I have specific instructions for you and need to follow them," It started of rushed, "There is a boy who controls this body, the person you've been talking to up to this moment, you need to follow him and guide him. He is the dominant personality and he needs to find out how to use my powers, you can feel the 'other' rise, can you not?" It allowed Lucy a small nod. "This pains me to say but the times we talk will be few and far between and I can't lose this vessel, yet."

I was surprised at what it was saying, _Why are you doing this?_

_Not now! I don't have much time! _It snapped at me.

"Lucy, I need you help him and teach him my power. You are familiar enough with it, right?" Lucy nodded her head fervently, "Now make sure nothing happens to this body. He can't get handicapped or die at all, he is necessary for my future."

"So that you can..." Lucy was cut off sharply.

"And I forbid you to reveal any of my information. We most likely won't speak for a long time, so take good care of him," it gave its final instructions and I could feel control over voice again. it sort of tickled and I grasped my throat in a bit of shock.

I looked at Lucy's fearful expression, slowly turn to shock, "Who are you?"

"I'm me," I replied sarcastically, still slightly weirded out by the it's demands on Lucy. _Why did you say those things? _I asked to it, hoping for a response yet, I got nothing from it.

Shaking me from that thought, Lucy's shake voice called out again, "But... but who have I been talking to this whole time?"

"Me, who you talked to now, was the voice in my head," I replied still slightly preoccupied. I followed up my response, "So what does it mean by teaching me."

"No!" Lucy exclaimed shaking her head, "You're not master."

I felt a hint of disapproval from it in the back of my mind and I grasped at it and shot her a cold look. Something changed and the room's temperature dropped a few degrees. My voice changed and it sounded extremely similar to my adult voice yet there was a sense of power, "I am your new master. I control it and it has no power over my body. You WILL help me."

This made Lucy shake and drop to her knees. _Hmmm, interesting use of my power, _its voice rang out in my head.

I didn't reply to it and continued to observe Lucy. I asked, this time more kinder, "You will help me, right?"

Her voice trembled as she said, "Yes."

I glanced back towards Luke's body making sure he was sitll asleep and Lucy called out, "I made sure he was asleep."

Feeling slightly tired and confused at what happened I didn't question what she said and instead just said tiredly, "Let's just get to sleep. I'm tired."

As soon as I said that Lucy nodded and moved at inhuman speeds out of the room. I remained rooted to my spot looking a the the open door. _Too much to process, _I thought in extreme exhaustion and like a zombie I moved to the bed and collapsed on it.

* * *

It barely felt like a few seconds but I was being shaken awake by someone. It wasn't gentle shake like last night's, more like violent jerking me about. My eyes shot open and my gaze landed on Luke. I glared at his grinning face as he said cheerily, "It's breakfast time."

I groaned as I squinted out into the bright room I grumbled as I rolled out of bed, "How are you so awake."

"Maybe because the bed we slept on was so comfortable," he replied still with that grin on his face.

Maybe because I'm mean or maybe because how much I hated Luke's cheery mood I responded, "And we're back to our old beds tonight."

This seemed to damper Luke's happiness as he groaned. I shot a smile at him as we proceeded downstairs. A warm and loud, "Good morning," rang out from everyone downstairs. I winced slightly as the loud noise and looked around at the people. No Lucy. I asked, "What happened to Lucy?"

Rebecca replied, "She had to go back home. She said something about helping her parents with something." I shrugged, _I'll have to deal with what happened last night. Maybe it was a nightmare, _I mused.

_Nope, _I heard it's sarcastic voice ring out in my mind. I groaned and joined everyone on the table. Steph made some extremely fluffy pancakes and out of habit Luke and I made our prayers. We savored the warm and delicious pancakes as we talked about our days. Steve was saying some things about Stark and how his work place was making some deal with him, "So, Stark came extremely late to the meeting..." Luke and I sat enraptured as he talked about the technical details.

He seemed pleased and extremely excited to be able to discuss these details with people who understand him. Once in a while we interrupted him to ask about a specific detail that was a bit complex but he seemed down to explain to us as much detail as he could. Rebecca and Steph seemed exasperated at the side as they continued on their own conversation. Steph at one point collected all the dishes and washed them, Luke and I offered to help but she declined. However, as she left the room she muttered, "I wish Rebecca would help out like you two." Rebecca flushed to a bright red color and the rest of us laughed.

The day progressed as we discussed the scientific world with Steve when I noticed the time on the wall, "10:30!" I exclaimed, "Luke we need to go."

Luke also glanced at the clock and his eyes opened up comically wide, "Crap, we need to go."

We moved off the chairs really quickly, but Steve called out in surprise, "For what?"

"We promised to help the little ones with their assignments," Luke responded.

I followed up, "Luke doesn't have a lot of time so he dedicates a day or two to help."

We apologized to Steve and thanked Steph for letting us stay the night. I helped Luke grab his stuff and shove back into his backpack and moved to the front of the house.

Rebecca called out, "Wait." We hesitated as Rebecca moved to join us, "You're not going to say bye to me."

Luke turned red and I could swear I could see from the corner, Steve's face and him glaring Luke down. Luke shivered in fear and shuttered out, "Y...Yeah, bye."

I bit my tongue not trying to laugh. "No, dummy," Rebecca adopted a puppy-dog face.

Me being a great friend I went to rescue him but before Steph called out, "Rebecca can you come here? I need you to do something."

Seizing the opportunity I said, "You should probably help her. She seemed pretty upset that you didn't help her this morning."

Rebecca smacked me over the head saying, "Pipe down shorty, you're too young for this type of stuff."

Even though, she seemed annoyed she seemed to forget Luke and moved off to help her mother. But just as soon as she left, Steve replaced her. "You were lucky today Luke. Remember any funny business..." and he made a violent gesture, "But feel free to come over. Its not everyday I can talk to people who understand me that isn't a work colleague. Its refreshing." And with that he left us.

Luke looked at me and thanked me graciously. "I try my best Luke," I said simply and moved to leave the house.

As we walked back to the orphanage, Luke whined about his luck. "Why is it me? A crazy, overprotective dad, my girlfriend's ex is a manipulative, crazy idiot and I have smart ass six-year-old as my best friend."

I snarkily replied to him, "I'm the smart ass that saved you multiple times last night. You should be grateful for me being your friend."

Luke playfully pushed me, "Yeah, yeah. Anyway, I had this crazy dream last night," My blood turned cold as he said that, "Steve was like chasing me with a pitchfork and he like had those devil horns on his head."

I just laughed at him, "He must've made an impression on you."

"Shut up,"

"Anyway, what's happening with your school stuff?"

"Nothing much just a bunch of tests and stuff. I have a bunch of assignments to do when I get back,"

"Lemme see them," I said excitedly.

"You're such a weird six-year old. Getting excited about assignment," Luke sighed, "You better help though."

"You were just complaining I was six," I whined.

"Well apparently, a six-year old is as smart as me," Luke whined.

"Deal with it," I retorted back.

We settled into a companionable silence as we walked back to the orphanage.

* * *

A/N: Uhhhh, sorry for taking so long. I've had literally no time to do write this story cause I've had soooo many tests and assignments to do. I'm not gonna give any promises for when this story is going to be updated. When I have the time I'll update if I can. I've been writing this chapter a chunk by chuck over the last few months and its been so hard. I'm not really a big fan of this chapter cause I feel like I used too many cliches and stuff but with the large chunks of time between me writing this chapter made me do them and for that I'm sorry.

Anyway, a lot of stuff happened since my last update. WW3, coronavirus, Trump's impeachment and stuff. 2020 has been crazy. It's really strange. Anyway, thanks for reading.


	10. Confusion

**Chapter 10: Confusion**

Returning from the orphanage was a relief. The previous night felt like the longest night ever, with so much being revealed, yet I had more questions than ever. I tried to contact it multiple times throughout the walk back but it either ignored me completely or just told me to shut up. It was apparent I was annoyed, as Luke asked me, "What's wrong?"

"Huh," I replied as I was snapped out of my stupor.

"You face, you seemed annoyed, you want to stay with the girls don't you?" Luke teased me.

I looked at him and sighed in disappointment, "Honestly, the way you treat me is worrying. You always forget I'm like almost half your age."

Luke hit me on the back of my head, "Oi watch it."

I grinned at him and mused out loud, "Life is weird isn't it. A six year old and a sixteen year old are best friends."

Luke looked at me and grinned back, "Yeah, life is weird." He then stared weirdly into the distance and a sort of dismay overtook him, "It's hard isn't it though."

"What is?" I questioned.

"Life," he replied.

I thought to myself, _You truly wouldn't know. In one life I died due to a drug overdose and now I'm a child restarting life. _I looked at him and said simply, "Yeah it is."

"You know, when I was your age I was confused in my life," Luke ruefully said. "You know I went through three different houses and all of them returned me back. Why?"

I could see Luke becoming slightly emotional and his became glossy. He said with a shaky voice, "You know going to Rebecca's house just reminded me of those houses, you know? A bed to myself, quality food and loving parents. I want it..." He trailed off.

I wanted to break the silence with a joke but I caught myself before I could. I put a hand on his lower arm (as far as I could reach in this small body) and replied, "You have me though. If you went off to those houses you wouldn't have met me. You wouldn't have gotten with Rebecca and now you are one of the smartest people I know."

He looked down at me and he grinned, still with tears threatening to overflow, "Yeah, I know. I'll miss you, if someone adopts you. I will."

I reassured him, "Never, I would never leave you."

He stopped at looked at me resolutely, "Take the opportunity if it arises. You don't know how hard it is at my age." His words resounded with Sister Alice and an awkward silence fell.

"If it does happen, we will keep in contact. I promise," I swore.

Luke smiled and we continued to walk back to the orphanage.

* * *

We finally arrived back and entered in. The loud, familiar chatter filled our ears as we see some of the children run across the hallway, screaming, Sister Alice ran behind them, beet-red from exhaustion when spotted us. "Oh thank the heavens you're here Jasper. Can you help me with gathering the children?" She gasped out.

"Why do I have to do it?" I whined, "I'm a kid myself."

"Well apparently you have a knack of quickly gathering everyone," she replied as she bent over trying to gather her breath.

I rolled my eyes and nodded knowingly to Luke, "Meet you up in a bit. Don't know what's going to happen."

Luke nodded back and walked into the library, presumably helping the others with their school stuff.

I quickly rounded up the children and gathered them in front of Sister Alice. She thanked me and then let me go. Apparently some of them were going to be adopted or something, I didn't bother listening as I walked into the library, preoccupied with my thoughts.

I grabbed today's newspaper off the coffee table. Father noticed my interest for the daily affairs and always made sure to leave a newspaper out for me. I presumed he thought I wanted to learn more about the world, I was more focused on reading how the world's events were progressing, tracking all of the Marvel related events I could remember. Then after, I usually retreated to the attic, grabbed my notebook and noted down the events that was the most significant, sometimes even cutting the whole newspaper article if necessary.

As I was absorbed into reading the newspaper, someone tugged on my sleeve. I ignored the tugging initially, as Luke usually got to everyone but the person kept on tugging my shirt sleeve. I glanced annoyed at them. The person seemed frightened at my face and kinda seemed to blend into the shadows. I called out, "What's wrong?"

The person came back into view and I realized it was Lucy. My eyes widened, and I asked in surprise, "Why are you here?"

I could see Lucy tremble and stutter out, "Master said I... I need to help you." I looked at her and she snapped her head away in what seemed like fear. My brow furrowed as I wondered what happened to her.

I replied, "Let's go to a more private place. I don't want anyone to hear this."

I led her upstairs, yet what worried me was her reserved and scared attitude to me. I wracked through my brain trying to figure out what I did to make her fearful, I initially thought it was the entity that made her afraid but it hit me, it was my voice. I wondered what that power in my voice was. I thought my power dealt with the manipulation of fire or at least manipulating some black aura but my empowered voice indicated otherwise.

I led her to the attic which stored my notes on the future and what I needed to do. I opened the attic door and let her in. I waited outside the door making sure no one saw me go in and entered myself.

Lucy looked around nervously, inspecting the old and mostly broken down furniture. As I walked to her, it spoke, _Let me out._

_First the contract,_ I demanded.

_Let us do one better. Let's set up a domain,_ it suggested instead.

_Domain? _I questioned.

_Yes domain, its a certain area dictated by both of us that I can freely move in if you are in this area,_ it explained.

_Yeah that isn't going to happen,_ I argued

_Look, you can set it up so that I can't do anything more than just walk around, _I argued back.

I thought about it and questioned its motive, _Isn't this an interrogation tactic? Where you progressively ask for more and more until your ultimate goal?_

_I know this sounds and feels bad,_ it reasoned,_ but right now we don't have a lot of time._

_Time for what,_ I asked curiously.

_All will be revealed be in time,_ it said simply.

_No. I need to know if you want to be let out,_ I demanded.

_Look, you need to believe, when I'm in the domain I swear I will reveal all that is relevant and I also swear that I will not do anything that will harm you or anyone._

I felt that sense of truth from him and I finally yielded, _All right._

He directed me to go to Lucy. Lucy cringed away from me but it told me to place a shoulder on Lucy's shoulder, swearing that it was to only create the domain. As I placed my arm, a strange sensation flowed from my arm to her shoulder. Lucy seemed to tense up and her eyes became completely black. A strange black sphere expanded from Lucy's center until it filled the room completely.

I removed my hand and the first thing I notice was the black tinge of everything and the a strange silence. I asked out loud, "What is this?"

A strange, yet familiar voice called out behind me, "This is a domain."

I turned around fully expecting to fight but all I saw was a black, shiny orb. It was oddly similar to the white entity that introduced me to the world.

A chuckle emanated from the orb, "This is my usual form. I usually take the form that my host prefers me. Right now you have no clue what to interpret me as."

"So if I was to think you look like me right now, you would immediately reflect it," I asked.

But as I said it, it reflected my belief of it showing a mirror representation of me. I smiled at the possibilities that could open up to me. I closed my eyes and imagined Scarlett Johansson's interpretation of Black Widow and when I opened my eyes, it reflected it.

It adopted an annoyed expression and warned me, "You better not use me for diabolical purposes."

I laughed at the innuendo, releasing the tense atmosphere, and reassured it, "Don't worry. You annoy me too much anyway."

The entity changed its shape back into a sphere and said seriously, "We don't have much time to prepare."

"What do you mean, we have a few years before the first event happens," I argued back.

"Who cares about the silly story line, you know they are going to win anyway," it replied dismissively.

I adopted a confused expression as continued to argue, "We can reduce the suffering of them though."

I felt the entity smile, even though I couldn't see it, "Do you not remember when we discussed it many nights ago? Our power grows stronger with negativity. We feed on the opposition."

"Oh this again," I sighed in frustration, "I will become a hero and you won't change that."

It chuckled and mysteriously said, "What a fickle child, you're ideals will change. They always do."

"What do yo..." I tried to start but Lucy cut me off.

She asked with a bewildered expression, "What do you mean? What's going to happen?"

It addressed her, "The future will."

I shook my head in bemusement and prompted the conversation forward, "What did you want from me?"

"Power," it replied simply. "More specifically I'll teach you how to use my power. Things will happen unrelated to this universe and we need to combat it."

"Huh," I muttered dumbly.

"It might be easier if I illustrate it," It conceded.

The entity moved to the center of the room and a black tendril extended. The tendril expanded until it created a diagram of the Marvel Universe, complete with annotations. I admired it for a minute before it moved on, "We exist on this Earth," the corresponding Earth glowed, "and the introduction of you, screwed everything up."

"Huh, is that supposed to be an insult?" I jokingly asked still transfixed by the glowing map in front of me.

It dismissed that notion and continued, "You are not supposed to exist at all. Frankly, this is my first time that I personally came, never the less inhabit, a person from a completely different plane of existence. Please save your comments and responses till the end, I need to explain all this before we run out of time. Your existence, indicates a rift between many fictional worlds that should not exist. Let's just say it was a major coincidence that you came here anyway. However, this would mean that many other people and fictional characters could come to this world," at this I wanted to interrupt but a force held my mouth closed, "My usual duty, other than trying to kill my counterpart, is to try and fix these holes between the planes of existence. Actually, both me and my counterpart sometimes have to work together."

A diagram flashed up in front of me, it was titled rank with God on top, a blanked out space and then other powerful beings below before ending at humans. It continued the explanation, "In that blank space, its where we exist. We are one level less powerful than the almighty God, because we are essentially the beliefs, ideals and thoughts of any living thing or any god. You might be wondering, if that makes you as powerful as this and simply no. If you held my full power, your body would disintegrating at a molecular level right not, but obviously as you are not, it means you only have a fraction of my power. Your body acts as a gateway, maybe more of like a conduit to continue our primary duty of preventing the mass collapse of every single world."

My head reeled in at that grand scheme that seemed to all revolve around me. How could I do something as grand as this? It let me ponder before finishing up its explanation, "Look, my power is split between many people across many worlds, but you are the only one, in this universe, the Marvel Universe, that holds my power. Currently, all my other hosts are frantically working to repair the rifts and the only weak link is you. My counterpart is currently searching for a host but from what it seems it seems a bit confused. What we need to do is work and train your body to correctly harness my power so we can work on these rifts."

With this concluding statement, I could move my mouth and talk. Millions of questions immediately raced to come out my mouth but none of them seemed to fit the magnitude of the task the entity told me I had to do. The first question that did come up legibly was, "Does that mean I will rarely be in this world?"

It chuckled, "No, if you came here, you have a purpose. It means the other Earths will resolve and continue moving, but this Earth deemed you to be important. It seems like you will play a large role here but when duty calls you will have to fix some problems elsewhere."

A sense relief filled my mind as I slowly processed the information. It sensed my intention and seemed to move into a higher gear, "Look we do not have much time to waste I promise, and actually promise this time, to answer most of your questions. Right now we need to make you stronger vessel, frankly you are pitiful right now. We need to establish a routine, a training routine. It seems you were smart enough to not waste your time last year, and you are somewhat smart. Now we need to train your mind and soul."

"Mind and soul?" I questioned, "What about the body?"

"The body will come naturally, but the mind and soul will be what bring out my power properly. We do not have much time left today but come tonight we will start," it said with a sense or urgency, "right now just get yourself to the end of day and come here without raising any suspicion."

With that the domain seemed to collapse and the color of the objects seemed to come back. Lucy seemed to be as confused as me but just accepted. Without saying anything she left the attic and as I raced out to say something, she seemed to disappear.

I was confused.

In my excitement I forgot the almost diabolical intentions of the entity. It wanted my body and what prevented it make up some fantastical story. However much I thought this, I couldn't shake the feeling what it said was true. As I pondered what it said, I noticed a dull orange coming from the windows. I exclaimed, "What in the world, what time is it?"

I raced downstairs into the library and checked the time, it was nearing dinner. Luke seemed exhausted as he helped the last few people. He spotted me and waved me over. He scolded me, "Where the hell were you? You know I can't do this by myself."

"Sorry," I said pitifully, "I was caught up on reading a book." Luke grinned at this. He knew how absorbed I could get. He instead reasoned, "Come on man, next time you gotta be here. I can barely help everyone."

I jested back, "You just did."

And he snarkily commented, "Yeah, because I'm the best."

I raised my eyebrow at this and said, "So look like I don't need to help you, I guess," and at this I turned my back to him.

Luke reached out and grabbed my shoulder, turning me around, "No man, you know how much I need you." His eyes seemed to plead.

"Alright then," I conceded in mock defeat.

We spent another hour just finishing up with everyone and it was dinner time by that time. We moved to the dining hall and ate. Luke discussed with others the happenings of the world and general high school drama whereas, I sat and pondered. I wanted to reject this almost fantastical idea but I wanted it to be real. It could mean I would be a superhero with my own lore and world.

With that I smiled excitedly, drawing the confused looks of many, and quickly scarfed down my food.

I made up my mind, I was going to attic once more and see what this training would be.

* * *

A/N: So... its been a while. School has been brutal for me and I barely had any time to write this one out especially with the virus and everything. The next few months will be even worse and I won't be able to write anything but fear not by the end of the year I will dedicate a lot more time. I also started a new story but fear not I will update both fairly regularly when I get the time.

So currently I'm at crossroads, I know the general tone of this story will be more darker (I have a plan) but with this lore, I feel it will make the story lighter, so I was wondering should I make my character weaker at the beginning or should I go balls to the wall and make him overpowered from the start? No matter what the story will become dark but its up to you guys what type of character you want to see. Leave some reviews on what you want I'll see what I can do. Stay safe and healthy.


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